The next morning arrived with a quiet chill, the kind that clung to the air and made footsteps echo a little louder than usual. Jeffrey woke early, partly out of habit and partly because he couldn’t afford to waste the day. School would resume soon, expenses would multiply, and even if his injuries had healed enough to move freely, his wallet was still suffering.
Gilbert was already awake, stuffing parcels into a large delivery bag. “You good?” he asked, glancing over. “You look like a man about to conquer the world.”
“Just job hunting,” Jeffrey replied, tugging on his jacket. “Again.”
Gilbert clicked his tongue. “One day, they’ll regret rejecting you.”
Jeffrey laughed softly and waved it off, but deep inside, he hoped—just once—that someone out there would give him a chance.
He hit t
