Over the next week, Seri soothed himself by immersing his mind completely in his various projects. He still slept fitfully, but found that once he hit a certain level of exhaustion, his mind went into a state of numbness that allowed at least a few hours of sleep.

True to his word, Richard had announced he’d be taking an entire week off from work. Seri hadn’t missed the extra guilt Richard gave him for skipping lunches or forgetting to take breaks, but he was forced to admit that having someone deliver his reports, messages, and food had been a privilege he had taken for granted. At the end of the week when Seri slipped out of his office door to grab something from the nearby convenience store, angry voices penetrated the cloud of numbness surrounding his mind.

“Dammit, you need to keep your voice down over there! If you’re not going to be serious, then why don’t you just leave so the rest of us can get some work done!” shouted Mika.

“I’d be able to get more done if I wasn’t waiting on your cost analysis. Why don’t you go finish that instead of bothering me?” Ken shot back.

Seri was alarmed to see that the normally cheery Mika had tears in her eyes, and Ken was sporting bags under his eyes to rival Seri’s own. He hurried over.  

“Okay, you two, my office.”

As soon as Seri shut his door, Mika and Ken starting talking over each other.

“Sir, I’m sorry but I’m just trying to get some work done. If Ken would just-”

“Sir, this is the first break I’ve taken all week, and if Mika would just get those numbers-”

“Whoa, whoa. Both of you, hold on. This isn’t like either of you. Not to mention, we’ve finished everything the office needs to send out this week.” His eyes darted to his calendar again for a fifth check. “What report are you talking about?”

Mika huffed. “The Quarterly Expenditures report!”

Seri looked up. “That isn’t due for another week.”

Ken nodded. “Yeah, and it’s a good thing too, because without those numbers I’m waiting on, I won’t be able to finish my part ahead of schedule.”

“Oh don’t start, I’ve been working weekends to get those numbers done. I said you’d have them by tomorrow, didn’t I?”

Seri cut in. “Whoa whoa, wait. You’ve both been working weekends?”

They glanced up. “Well, yeah. I mean, you’ve really been pushing yourself lately. We didn’t want to let you down boss,” Ken mumbled.

Seri sat back. This is wrong.

“Go home.”

Mika sat straight. “What?! Sir, I promise if you just let me get back to work…”

Seri held up a hand. “Nope. Denied. In fact, both of you come with me.”

Seri ushered them out of his office and then raised his voice.

“Hey everyone, could I get your attention please?” Eyes glanced up from computer screens.

“Could I ask how many people have been working overtime lately?” Even as every hand went up, eyes drifted back down to computer screens.

“And is anyone still working on projects that are due this week?” No one moved.

This is bad.

“Okay, everyone, go home. I’m sorry. I know you’ve been worried, and you’ve all been working hard to help. I really can’t thank you enough. But I’m going to start thanking you by having all of you go home. No work this evening, no work tomorrow, no work Sunday. Don’t even check your emails. Understood?”

Mika said, “But sir, aren’t there projects due next week?” Her eyes darted back to her computer screen.

Seri nodded. “There are. But let’s deal with that next week. Sound good?”

The silence held a beat longer before the office erupted in cheers.

Ah, I’m such an idiot. Seri was suddenly surrounded as people came to pound him on the back and shake his hand. Ken stood up on a chair. “Alright everyone, you heard the boss. Now, who’s coming with me for drinks?” The office positively roared, and Seri let himself be pulled along with the crowd and out of the office.

--

Seri bought the first two rounds of drinks himself, and savored the happy looks in all of his employees’ faces. But as the group loudly debated over the next bar, Seri’s stomach twisted guiltily. He had one more apology to make. He waved to his laughing employees as they set their sights for downtown, then pulled his scarf tighter and headed back out into the chilly night.