Director Abbott looked at me, his expression cold：「Katherine, don't bring personal emotions into the workplace.」
I said：「Director Abbott, I'm requesting leave for today. My mother's been admitted, and I need to be with her.」
He didn't agree right away. Instead：
「There's a department meeting this morning. You will be there.」
「Last night on shift you took a personal call, lost control, got into it with a coworker. That all needs to be accounted for.」
I looked at him. 「My mother is in the hospital.」
He said：
「You're not the only person here with family.」
「You'll do your written apology statement at the meeting first. We can talk about leave after that.」
Viola stood behind him, head down, dabbing at her eyes.
But I saw it. The corner of her mouth was turned up.
At nine a.m., a notice went out in the department group chat.
All-staff meeting.
Director Abbott tagged me specifically.
「Katherine Simmons, have your written apology statement ready.」
「Young employees need to think about the team instead of letting a little personal business throw off the whole department.」
I stood in the hallway outside the inpatient ward, staring at the message.
Inside the room, my mother was still on an IV drip. She called out to me through the door.
「Katie, don't fight with the higher-ups.」
I pressed the phone screen dark and gave a quiet mm.
But inside, I already knew. This time, I wasn't going to swallow it.
At nine thirty, I got my mother settled and walked to the department conference room.
Everyone from the Billing Office was already there.
Viola sat at Director Abbott's right, eyes red, a cup of hot soy milk on the table in front of her.
Like she'd just suffered some tremendous injustice.
The moment I stepped in, the conference room went quiet.
Director Abbott looked up. 「Katherine. Sit down.」
I didn't sit：「My mother is still in the hospital. Whatever you need to say, say it fast.」
His expression darkened.
「Is that your attitude?」
Viola immediately ducked her head, wiping tears.
「Director, just drop it. She's young, her family's going through something, she's in a bad place—I don't blame her.」
So thoughtful.
If I hadn't seen her at the hot pot restaurant last night, face shiny with grease and grinning ear to ear, I might've actually believed her.
Director Abbott rapped on the table.
「This meeting isn't about singling anyone out.」
「The attitude in this department has been slipping lately.」
「Certain younger staff have no sense of the team. One night shift and they're full of grievances.」
His eyes stayed on me the entire time he said it.
Somebody nearby whispered：
「Katherine, just apologize to Viola.」
「We're all in the same department. Don't make this ugly.」
「Director Abbott's doing this for your own good.」
For my own good.
Right. That old line.
They took my nights and used them to fill someone else's schedule, then told me it was good experience.
I said：「Why should I apologize?」
The conference room went still for a beat.
Viola's tears came faster.
「Katherine, don't be like this.」
「I know your mom's in the hospital. I know you're hurting.」
「But last night's shift wasn't something I forced on you—Director Abbott scheduled it.」
She looked around at everyone.
「How was I supposed to know your mother would fall?」
「So what, from now on, anytime someone's parent has a headache we just can't schedule shifts anymore?」
Someone nodded.
「She's right, nobody wanted this to happen.」
「Viola's got it hard too, with her kid and her elderly parents.」
「Katherine, what happened to your mom is awful, but you can't put all the blame on a coworker.」
I looked at these people and suddenly it all felt absurd.
When I covered Viola's night shifts, they said I was young, I could handle it.
When my mother fell, they said I couldn't blame a coworker.
At the end of it all, they got every benefit, and I carried every consequence alone.
Director Abbott slid a sheet of paper across the table.
「Here's the written apology template.」
「Fill it out.」
