Alone

Samuel had ordered their pizzas and leaned back in his chair, looking at Timmy. Timmy's heart began to calm a little, but doubt still crept in. Maybe this wasn't as serious as he'd thought. Perhaps Samuel just wanted to unwind after a long day. That made more sense. But still, a part of him wondered, What if this was goodbye?

It wouldn't be the first time someone got close to Samuel, only to be pushed away. Timmy had seen it happen before. When Samuel started in the company, he wasn't alone. He had a mentor, an assistant who guided him through his training, showing him the ropes. Timmy was new back then, too, just learning how things worked. He wasn't Samuel's right-hand man yet; he was just starting out, observing everything quietly from the background.