At noon, Claire sat in front of her computer screen, but her thoughts were miles away from work. After wrestling with her thoughts for a moment, she stood up and walked toward Sophia's office.
Standing at the door, she gently knocked. A gentle "Come in" floated from inside, and she pushed the door open.
Sophia looked up, and the moment she saw Claire, a warm smile lit up her face. "Claire, what's going on? Everything okay?" she asked gently.
Claire pressed her lips together for a moment before speaking softly, "I was hoping to take some time off."
Sophia immediately stood up, closing the distance between them in a few strides. She patted Claire's shoulder lightly. "Claire, you've been pushing yourself way too hard lately. You definitely deserve a break. Consider it approved!"
A wave o
