Sometimes Maya finished work tired and still had university tasks waiting. She would come home, shower, eat something, open the laptop, and continue. There were nights when she wanted to

This reminds Maya of when she was 18. She remembered turning eighteen more clearly than she expected. It was not the birthday cake that stayed with her. It was not

The forklift warning alarm sounded behind them. Both women moved aside as the machine carried a crate toward the truck. Sherina picked up her waybill. “Go ask Michael,” she said

Maya lowered her voice. Several workers stood nearby, but they continued wrapping the load. “I need to arrange an inspection. Water has entered the reception area. The client wants confirmation

At eight fifteen on Monday morning, the office landline began to ring. Its sharp electronic tone travelled through the empty desks, struck the glass partition beside the meeting room, and

Maya could fix the guardrails. She could contact the supplier. She could arrange replacement components. She could manage the client issue. She could learn to confirm colours on future orders.

The command appeared inside her mind. Don’t cry here. Her vision blurred slightly. She blinked. The tears remained. She pressed her lips together. Michael continued speaking, but parts of his

The task looked simple on paper. In reality, it had been poorly prepared from the beginning. No clear site contact, no marked-up location, no proper explanation, no suitable clothing. By

The morning after one argument in the office, Sawdust & Giggles returned to normal with remarkable speed. No meeting followed. Nobody discussed what had happened. No manager gathered the team