His shoulders dropped with relief.
“Thank you,” he said. “You won’t regret it!”
I believed him, but Karen didn’t.
The moment I told my wife about the new hire that evening, she exploded.
“An ex-con?” Karen shouted. “Are you out of your mind?!”
“He served his time,” I replied calmly.
“That doesn’t mean he’s safe!” she shot back. “What if he robs us?”
I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my temples.
Karen had always been cautious, but losing Barry made her protective of everything.
“I trust my instincts,” I said.
She folded her arms.
I didn’t tell her the real reason. I couldn’t.
“Are you out of your mind?!”
Barry proved himself quickly.
He showed up 15 minutes early every day and worked harder than anyone else, sweeping floors, organizing stock, hauling boxes.
Customers liked him. My employees respected him. He was polite and decent.
Weeks turned into months, and not once did he give me a reason to doubt him.
Eventually, we started talking more.
He told me about growing up with a mother who worked two jobs. His father had disappeared when he was three years old.
Customers liked him.
One evening, I invited him to dinner.
Karen wasn’t thrilled about it, but she kept quiet.
Barry showed up with a pie. He sat at the table politely and thanked Karen for the meal three separate times.
Over the next few months, he came over more often, sometimes even for the weekend.
