Laura opened the folder.
“There’s a severance package.”
Caleb did not look.
“How many positions?”
Silence.
“Caleb,” Laura said gently.
“How many?”
Graham leaned forward.
“This isn’t a negotiation.”
“Just mine?”
Neither answered.
Caleb understood.
He looked directly at Graham.
“This is about Meridian.”
Graham’s expression changed.
“No.”
“It is.”
“This is a restructuring decision.”
“Two weeks after I refused to clear the aircraft.”
“You’re making assumptions.”
“You took me off overtime the Monday after.”
“Scheduling.”
“Canceled recurrent training.”
“Budget.”
“Reviewed old work orders.”
“Quality assurance.”
Caleb nodded slowly.
“All coincidence.”
Graham’s voice hardened.
“I would advise you not to make accusations you cannot substantiate.”
Caleb looked at Laura.
She would not meet his eyes.
That told him more than anything Graham had said.
“What happens to the safety report?”
Graham stared.
“What report?”
“The discrepancy report.”
“It has been handled.”
“The component failure?”
“Caleb.”
“Does the board know why the aircraft was delayed?”
Graham stood.
“This conversation is over.”
Caleb remained seated.
“I signed the discrepancy.”
“Yes.”
“My name is on it.”
“Yes.”
“And two weeks later my job disappears.”
Graham pointed toward the paperwork.
“Sign the acknowledgment.”
“No.”
“It doesn’t waive anything.”
“I’ll have someone review it.”
“That’s your right.”
Caleb stood.
Laura spoke.
“You’ll need to collect personal belongings. Security will deactivate your access card.”
Caleb stared at her.
“Today?”
“Yes.”
“Three days before Christmas.”
Laura looked pained.
Graham did not.
“Timing is unfortunate.”
Something almost broke inside Caleb then.
Not because of the job.
Because of that sentence.
Timing is unfortunate.
As if Christmas had happened unpredictably.
As if nine years could not survive three more days.
As if the people making the decision had been forced by weather.
Caleb nodded.
“Understood.”
He walked out.
For twenty minutes, he packed.
Nobody told him to hurry.
Maybe that was supposed to be kindness.
Ronan came over.
“What happened?”
Caleb put the mug into the box.
“Restructuring.”
Ronan stared.
“Bull.”
“Ronan.”
“This is Meridian.”
“Keep your voice down.”
“No.”
Caleb grabbed his photograph.
“Please.”
Ronan looked around.
“You reported the system issue.”
“I did my job.”
“And now they’re firing you.”
“Apparently.”
“I’m going upstairs.”
Caleb grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“Caleb.”
“Don’t.”
“You want to just walk?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Nora needs groceries.”
Ronan stopped.
Caleb’s voice cracked slightly.