Chapter 4: The Apology and the Second Chance
Three months passed quickly, and Lila had worked every shift at the outlet mall, and she’d made sure she didn’t mess up again. She’d cleaned the floors, folded the t-shirts, worked the fitting rooms, worked the cash register, and she’d apologized to every customer who’d walked through the door, and she’d made sure they felt welcome, no matter what they looked like. The manager had told her that she was doing great, and the board had sent her a note that she could come back to the boutique downtown in three months, but she had to keep working hard, and she’d worked hard, and she’d saved up enough money to pay her rent, and she’d bought a new pair of comfortable sneakers, and she’d stopped wearing her stilettos, and she’d stopped judging customers by their looks.
One day, she was working the fitting rooms at the outlet mall, and she was helping a teenager trying on a dress, and the bell above the door jingled, and she looked up, and she saw Margaret Hale standing in the doorway, her green wool coat in her hand, her silver hair pulled back in a tight bun, her crumpled paper bag in her hand.
Lila’s face turned red, and she walked over to Margaret Hale, and she bowed her head, and she apologized. “Mrs. Hale? I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for the way I treated you. I was wrong. I was a terrible sales associate, and I judged you by your looks, and I’m so sorry. I’ve been working at the outlet mall for three months, and I’ve been trying to make it right, and I hope you can forgive me.
Margaret Hale stared at her, her eyes softening a little. “I... I heard that you’ve been working here. I’m glad you’re making it right. I came here to buy a dress for my granddaughter’s wedding, and I hope you can help me pick out a dress.
Lila’s eyes widened, and she nodded, and she walked over to the rack of dresses, and she picked out a dress that was $200, and she handed it to Margaret Hale, and she told her that the dress was perfect for her granddaughter’s wedding, and she told her that the dress was made of soft silk, and she told her that the dress would complement her skin tone, and she walked over to the fitting room, and she opened the door, and she handed the dress to Margaret Hale, and she closed the door, and she waited outside the fitting room, her hands shaking. Margaret Hale tried on the dress, and she came out of the fitting room, and she looked at herself in the mirror, and she smiled, and she asked Lila if it looked good.
Lila looked at the dress, and she told her it looked amazing, and she told her that the dress was perfect for her granddaughter’s wedding, and she told her that the dress would make her look like a beautiful grandmother, and Margaret Hale smiled, and she asked Lila how much it cost, and Lila told her it was $200, and Margaret Hale pulled out her wallet, and she paid for the dress, and she walked out of the store, and she turned around, and she looked at Lila, and she smiled, and she said, “Thank you. You’ve changed. You’re a good sales associate now.
Lila’s face turned red, and she bowed her head, and she apologized again, and Margaret Hale nodded, and she walked out of the store, and Lila watched her go, and she felt a little better. She’d apologized to Margaret Hale, and she’d helped her pick out a dress, and she’d made sure she felt welcome, and she’d made a sale, even if it was just a $200 dress.
The manager called her over to the front desk, and he handed her a note from the board. “You did great today. Keep it up. You can come back to the boutique downtown next week. You’ll be working as a sales associate again, but you’ll have to be polite to every customer, and you’ll have to treat every customer with respect, no matter what they look like.
Lila nodded, and she walked out of the store, and she drove back to her apartment, her mind racing. She’d be going back to the boutique downtown, and she’d be working as a sales associate again, and she’d be making $21 an hour plus commission, and she’d be working at the boutique downtown again, and she’d be working with the other sales associates, and she’d be working with Lila’s old manager, and she felt a little nervous, but she felt a little excited, too. She walked into her apartment, and she pulled out her laptop, and she looked up the boutique’s website, and she saw that they’d posted a new policy about customer service, and she felt a little better. She’d changed, and she’d learned her lesson, and she’d never judge a customer by their looks again.
The next week, she arrived at the boutique downtown at 8:45 AM, her comfortable sneakers instead of her stilettos, her name tag reading *Lila Marlow, and she walked into the store, and she saw the other sales associates who stared at her, and she walked over to the front desk, and she smiled, and she saw the manager, who nodded, and he handed her a list of tasks: restock the racks of gowns, help customers pick out clothes, and she nodded, and she walked over to the rack of gowns, and she hung up the gowns, and she helped a customer pick out a dress, and she helped a teenager pick out a prom dress, and she helped a bride pick out a wedding dress, and she made sure every customer felt welcome, no matter what they looked like.
A woman walked over to her, and she stared at Lila, and she asked for a dress, and Lila walked over to the rack, and she picked out a dress, and she handed it to the woman, and she helped her try on the dress, and she came out of the fitting room, and she looked at herself in the mirror, and she smiled, and she asked Lila if it looked good, and Lila told her it looked amazing, and she told her that the dress would complement her skin tone, and she told her that the dress was perfect for her birthday, and the woman paid for the dress, and she walked out of the store, and Lila smiled, her voice warm and friendly.
May you like
By noon, the manager called her over to the front desk, and he handed her a note from the board. “You did great today. Keep it up. Don’t mess up again. You’re a good sales associate now.
Lila nodded, and she walked over to the rack of gowns, and she hung up the gowns, and she helped a customer pick out a dress, and she made sure every customer felt welcome, no matter what they looked like. She’d changed, and she’d learned her lesson, and she’d never judge a customer by their looks again.
