Ā Ā Ā āyou might have to try a little harder.āĀ Ā the tone is familiar but the words lack their usual heat, returned more out of habit than some distinct need to make a point.Ā Ā heās not one for second-guessing himself; heās not above admitting to his mistakes, but the guilt that comes alongside it is usually easily compartmentalized, stowed away for later examination.Ā Ā here, now, like this: jack staring at him across the desk, expecting an answer, something feels wrong and misshapen, unbalanced in a way things arenāt meant to be.Ā Ā he doesnāt do this, doesnāt ruminate on bad choices, problems gone wrong.Ā Ā he analyzes, assesses, takes what he needs from them to learn and adapt and grow.Ā Ā his mistakes donāt usually haunt him.
Ā Ā Ā finally he scoffs and hauls himself up out of the chair, dismissed or not.Ā Ā ācost of doing business,ā he concludes from the doorway, biting down hard on the way it grates down deep inside.Ā Ā innocent lives.Ā Ā people who had no choice on whether they were in the fight or not.Ā Ā he did his best, but sometimes even that would never be enough.Ā Ā āwe arenāt here to be comfortable.āĀ Ā jack knows it better than he does, heās sure, yet the words still come.Ā Ā āyouāre in the wrong business if you think otherwise.ā
