CHAPTER NINETEEN – FINDING A PLLACEMENT

Later that evening, Joan sat at the dinner table with her father and Tim. The smell of her dad's famous lasagna filled the air, but Joan just pushed the food around on her plate. "Honey," her father said gently, "I know you're disappointed, but you've barely touched your food." Joan sighed. "I'm sorry, Dad. I just... I can't stop thinking about it. And then Vito was so dismissive when I told him..." Tim frowned. "He brushed you off? That's not cool." "He said he was busy," Joan defended weakly. "But yeah, it didn't feel great." Her father reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "Joan, listen to me. You are an incredibly bright and compassionate young woman. This setback doesn't define you or your future." "Your dad's right," Tim chimed in. "Remember when you didn't get that scholarship in undergrad? You worked even harder and ended up graduating with honors." Joan felt a small smile tug at her lips. "I did, didn't I?" Her father nodded. "You've always been resilient, sw