Summary

After dinner, Mallory slipped into Hassan’s hospital room. She looked at his bandaged arms and hands, but mainly his hands. He asked why she hated them. She didn’t answer; but, she asked if his hands were damaged. She wanted to know if they had the same sensitivity as before. The important thing was that he’d still be able to cook. She hadn’t wanted it to come to this she told him. Hassan could not forgive her yet. From her mere behavior, Hassan realized at that moment that he had a gift for cooking. He had pitch perfect culinary skills.

When Mallory returned to Le Saule Pleureur late that night, she stood in the snow looking in the window to see LeBlanc greeting the guests. She saw that her staff was running the restaurant beautifully – without her. LeBlanc was concerned about...