CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO – EMPLOYEE FUN DAY

The final evening of the retreat featured a talent show. Joan had been skeptical about this idea, but her team had embraced it with surprising enthusiasm. Zoe kicked things off with a surprisingly good stand-up comedy routine, poking gentle fun at office life. Daniel and Karen, in a show of their new professionalism, performed a dramatic reading of ridiculous workplace emails, having everyone in stitches. The highlight, however, was Dr. Chen's magic show. No one had known about her hidden talent, and she astounded everyone with her sleight of hand. As the applause died down, Joan stood up. "Before we call it a night, I just want to say how proud I am of all of you. This weekend has shown me what an incredible team we have." There were smiles all around, and Joan felt a lump in her throat as she continued. "When we go back to work on Monday, let's remember this feeling. We're not just colleagues; we're a family." The ride back to the city the next day was filled with chatter and la