
Natalie rubbed her tired eyes and gazed at the screen with a mix of desperation and hope, longing for the numbers to finally add up. Her mind raced with calculations, struggling to keep pace with the intricate spreadsheet and its ever-changing variables. Hours of intense focus had left her mentally drained, her brain feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. A knock on the door, triggered a surge of annoyance and disappointment, knowing she’d be torn away from her work once again. “Yes?” she called out, her voice tight with frustration and a hint of exasperation.
“I know you’re busy but, do you have a moment?” A familiar voice said in a tone that suggested she didn’t think what Natalie was doing was important at all.
Natalie sighed and leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting over the framed pictures of her family placed neatly on her desk as she turned her attention to the door and the unwelcome visitor. Weeks of overtime trying to keep up with everything while Corporate breathed down her neck meant she really wasn’t in the mood for another of Jackie’s lectures on office minutia, but there was no stopping that woman…









