Ruby’s suggestion

Ruby leans a little closer against the counter, coffee forgotten for the moment.

“You really need a way to blow off steam,” she says, voice quiet and thoughtful. “All that frustration with Cheryl, the constant needling, the way she gets in your head. It is not healthy to carry it around the floor all day. You need something that actually takes the edge off instead of just another bathroom break or another late meeting that only winds you up more.”

She holds your gaze while she speaks, the new boldness still there underneath the familiar concern, and for a second it feels like she is offering more than simple advice.