Maya gave a small, sad smile.
"That my father would be ashamed of what his airline had become."
For several seconds, the studio was silent.
Then Maya added.
"And that I had a responsibility to find out how it happened."
The designer who created Maya's gold gown visited Meridian's headquarters several months after the incident.
Her name was Aisha Grant, a forty-one-year-old Black American couturier who had spent nearly two decades creating extraordinary formalwear. She had designed gowns for performers, philanthropists, and women who wanted clothing that celebrated their individuality rather than concealed it.
When Maya first showed her the stained dress, Aisha stood silently for several seconds.
Then she sighed.
"Oh, Maya."
The beautiful sequins had lost their luster in several places.
The delicate beadwork around one shoulder was damaged.
And the fabric still carried discoloration where the sauce and dressing had soaked into the material.
Maya looked embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
Aisha turned toward her.
"For what?"
Maya laughed softly.
"For what happened to your work."
The designer shook her head.
"You didn't do that."
For a moment, she examined the damaged gown.
Then looked toward Maya.
"Do you want me to try restoring it?"
Maya hesitated.
She had considered placing the dress in storage and never looking at it again.
Every time she saw the stains, she remembered Jessica standing over her.
The laughter.
The accusation.
And the way the senior attendant treated her as the problem.
But the gown also reminded her of the charity event.
The scholarship recipients.
And the beautiful evening she'd spent celebrating young people preparing for careers in aviation.
She didn't want the humiliation to become the only memory attached to it.
So she nodded.
"Yes."
Aisha smiled.
"Then we'll see what we can do."
The restoration took weeks.
Specialists assessed the fabric.
Damaged embellishments were replaced where possible.
And sections that couldn't be fully restored were repaired with careful attention to the original design.
When Aisha returned the gown, it looked beautiful.
Not exactly as it had on the night of the gala.
A few details had changed.
Some beadwork was newly constructed.
And certain areas retained subtle differences that someone familiar with the original could recognize.
But the gown was wearable again.
Maya held it against herself.
For a moment, her eyes filled.
Aisha smiled.
"Still beautiful."
Maya nodded.
Then laughed through tears.
"Yes."
The designer reached for her hand.
"Remember that next time somebody tries to make you feel small."
The first year under Meridian's new leadership wasn't easy.
Elena Ruiz faced pressure from investors who worried that corrective measures would increase operating costs. Some managers resisted the new oversight procedures. Others complained that the company was becoming too cautious.