The next night, I stood outside my former workplace, watching as a group of my female coworkers gathered to leave the office together. I had decided to wait for them, determined to take a step toward mending the strained relationships that had plagued my time at the firm.
As they made their way out of the building, deep in conversation, I took a deep breath and approached them. It was an intimidating moment, as I hadn't interacted with them for quite some time, and I couldn't help but feel anxious at how they might have perceived me at that point.
"Hi," I greeted them tentatively, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "Would you all like to join me for dinner? My treat."
“Evie!” Beth was the first to speak, though her voice came out a little strained. “Didn’t think we would see you a
