Chapter 26 Getting a Short Haircut

The following day, I sent a message to Clarice through WhatsApp. I kept it short, just mentioning that I needed a day off to handle some personal matters. Her response was equally brief—a simple "okay" without further comments. Clarice was someone Albert trusted and Calvin's most reliable secretary. So, asking her for time off was practically the same as asking Calvin himself. Because of our tense exchange yesterday, Calvin interpreted this as me being unreasonable and throwing a fit. He messaged me directly, letting me know he'd be marking me as absent and docking my full attendance bonus for the month. I did the math and realized the bonus wasn't all that significant, so the loss didn't sting as much as I'd expected. Early in the morning, Queenie was already waiting for me downstairs, holding a fresh bagel she'd picked up on the way. "I know you haven't had much of an appetite, but try to eat a little. They say chemotherapy can really wear you down," she said, her eyes filled w