Several organizations reconsidered whether they wanted her representing their charitable work.
Vivienne initially blamed Ronan for allowing the situation to become public.
Then she blamed Ivy for reporting the assault.
But the footage, medical documentation, and witness statements made her account difficult to sustain.
After the authorities reviewed the evidence, a criminal charge was filed concerning the assault.
Vivienne retained counsel, and the case proceeded through the ordinary legal process.
Ivy did not receive a magical judgment or an enormous settlement overnight.
Her attorney pursued the appropriate remedies concerning the assault and workplace treatment, while Ivy concentrated on recovering and starting her new job.
Maya kept working for the catering company.
Her supervisor initially removed her from prestigious assignments, but after reviewing the incident and the concerns raised about retaliation, the company restored her eligibility for those shifts.
Maya also enrolled in evening classes toward a hospitality-management qualification.
She still helped support her mother and younger brothers.
But she no longer believed protecting her job required accepting blame for somebody else’s cruelty.
One Saturday, she invited Ivy to lunch.
They met at a small restaurant with worn wooden tables and mismatched chairs.
Maya arrived carrying a folded piece of paper.
“This is for you,” she said.
Ivy opened it.
Inside was a drawing.
A little boy standing beside a woman in a navy uniform.
A bowl of soup between them.
At the bottom, in careful handwriting, were the words:
Thank you for catching me before I got hurt.
Ivy looked up.
“Where did you get this?”
“Senator Whitmore’s office sent it through the catering company. Her grandson wanted you to have it.”
Ivy ran her thumb along the edge of the paper.
The boy had drawn her much taller than she really was.
He’d also given her an enormous smile.
Maya laughed.
