Chapter 5 - THE NIGHT REED CALLAWAY CHANGED THE RULES
The next morning, Reed called a staff meeting.
Every employee gathered in the dining room.
Elena stood beside the bar.
Tommy waited near the door.
I stood at the back.
Reed entered.
The room went silent.
He looked around.
Then said, “We're changing a few things.”
Nobody moved.
He continued.
“Emergency family situations will be handled through a written policy.”
Elena frowned.
“Sir?”
Reed looked at her.
“Employees with children will have access to emergency leave options and childcare referrals.”
Silence.
He continued.
“No one will be threatened with termination for reporting a family emergency.”
Elena's face changed.
Reed looked directly at her.
“Understood?”
She swallowed.
“Yes, sir.”
Then he looked toward me.
I froze.
He didn't mention my name.
Didn't embarrass me.
Didn't tell anyone about Ava.
May you like
He simply said, “People work better when they aren't terrified of losing everything.”
And for the first time in eleven months, I felt like someone had noticed that I was human.
