The next morning, the meeting with management loomed large.
I sat across from the store manager, the report lying between us like an unspoken challenge.
“So, what happened with the old man?” he asked, his tone direct.
I took a breath, recounting the events as they unfolded.
“He didn’t mean to cause trouble,” I explained. “It was… complicated.”
The manager listened, his expression unreadable.
I felt the pressure to conform, to follow the expected path.
But the memory of the man’s eyes, his quiet plea, lingered.
“And your recommendation?” the manager pressed, bringing the focus back to the decision at hand.
I hesitated, the weight of my choice clear.
