She turned toward the doors. Her old bus was visible beyond the glass, its round hood and rectangular windows making it look out of place among the sleek vehicles. A decade earlier, people had called that bus ugly too, usually just before they climbed aboard because it was the only transportation available to get their children home. She remembered the first snowy morning it had started after three other buses in the district failed, and the faces of the children waiting at the corner. She remembered staying up until two in the morning to replace an alternator so it would be ready the next day.
"Ma'am, please don't leave yet." Gloria looked around. Anna Morales was approaching, carrying a clean white towel and a cup of water. She was twenty-eight, with dark hair pulled into a neat low braid, a pale blue blouse beneath her dealership jacket, and the intent expression of someone who listened for the end of a sentence before deciding what to say. She stopped at a respectful distance rather than thrusting the items at Gloria. "Were you asking about our passenger vans?"
"I was," Gloria said. "I don't believe anybody has time for me today." Anna glanced toward the plastic barrier and then at Gloria's hand.
She did not ask for an explanation in front of the remaining customers. "I have time," she said. "And I brought this towel in case you'd like it. There's no hurry."
Gloria accepted the towel, folding it once to clean the remaining grease from her fingers. "That's thoughtful," she said. "Thank you." Anna gave her the water and pointed toward a quiet table away from the display area.
"Would you be more comfortable talking over there? We can deal with paperwork later, after you've had a chance to tell me what you need." The question was ordinary, but something in Gloria's face changed when she heard it.
At the table, Anna set aside a pile of promotional flyers and opened a plain notepad. She did not begin with the most expensive model, a list of financing offers, or a rehearsed speech about how the dealership led the region in commercial vehicle sales. She began by asking about the business itself. "What kind of passengers do you carry?" she asked. "And what is changing that makes you think you need different vehicles?" Gloria rested both hands on the folder and answered without rushing.
"We transport students," she said. "Some are schoolchildren on scheduled bus routes, and some are college and university students moving between campuses, residences, and training facilities. The campus side is growing, and I need vehicles that can handle daily stop-and-go use without spending half their lives in a service bay."
Anna nodded and began to write. "Those are different operations. Are these vans for the college routes, not for replacing buses carrying younger children?" Gloria looked at her with a small, approving surprise.