Terminated for attending my mother’s funeral.” After five years of loyalty, I was fired by email while still grieving.

her knees, watching old game shows while I worked late at her kitchen table. One night, she looked at me over her glasses and said, “Claire, people like that count on decent people being tired.”

I remembered giving a weak laugh.

“I am tired, Mom.”

“I know,” she said. “But tired is not the same as helpless.”

Now she was gone.

And Greg had fired me because continue reading …