Michael laughed.
"You learned fast."
Thomas smiled.
Arthur watched them.
Then he asked:
"How many meals do we throw away every night?"
Thomas hesitated.
"About eighty."
Michael frowned.
"Eighty?"
"Sometimes more."
Arthur looked at the manager.
"Why?"
"Health regulations."
"Which regulations?"
The manager hesitated.
"Sir..."
Arthur's voice hardened.
"I asked a question."
The manager admitted that much of the food was discarded because it had passed the hotel's internal serving window.
Michael looked at the shelves.
Boxes of bread.
Pastries.
Prepared meals.
Enough to feed dozens of people.
Arthur shook his head.
"How long has this been happening?"
"Years."
"And nobody thought to donate it?"
"We have liability concerns."
Arthur stared at him.
"Liability."
The word echoed through the kitchen.
Michael said quietly:
"People are hungry."
Arthur nodded.
"Exactly."
Then he turned toward the manager.
"From tonight onward, nothing edible is thrown away without my approval."
"But—"
"Everything goes through a donation program."
The manager swallowed.
"Yes, sir."
Arthur looked at Michael.
"You still remember how to run a kitchen?"
Michael smiled.
"Better than I remember how to sleep."
Arthur laughed.
"Good."
He extended his hand.
"Come back tomorrow."
Michael stared at it.
"As what?"
Arthur answered:
"Kitchen supervisor."
Michael looked shocked.
"I haven't worked in a professional kitchen in years."
"You worked here for five years."
"Things have changed."
Arthur smiled.
"Then change with them."
Michael shook his head.
"I don't know if I can."
Arthur leaned closer.
"Michael, today you walked into this building with four dollars and seventeen cents."
He paused.
"And you walked out with a job."
Michael's eyes filled.
"Why?"
Arthur smiled.
"Because you asked for yesterday's bread."
Michael didn't understand.
Arthur continued:
"Anyone can ask for money."
"But you asked for something that would have been thrown away."
He looked toward Lily.
"You weren't trying to take."
"You were trying to save your daughter."
Lily slept upstairs that night.
Arthur had arranged a hotel room for them.