Early in the day Jake called in sick. That meant Cole and Elara would work the full stretch from opening well past evening without relief. They both knew right away this would be the hardest test of all. Fatigue was exactly where old habits liked to creep back in. And with the watchers staying quiet and hard to spot every small slip would stand out even more.
Before the doors unlocked Cole paused by the light switch and spoke in a plain low tone. “We will move slower than usual today. We take extra breath between tasks. And we use the signal more freely even if it feels like too much. When your eyes get heavy or your feet ache that is when they expect you to drop your guard.”
Elara nodded while checking the first register drawer. “I already feel it in my shoulders just thinking about it.
