The rush was still there, the customers too, but the tips had withered to scraps. Now he worked twice as hard for half as much. The job hadn’t changed—he had. His parents never said it out loud, but he could feel their doubt growing.
Every time he passed his mom in the hallway, she’d offer a soft smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. His dad asked fewer and fewer questions about work. At first, they were supportive, proud even. But now, their silence was thick with worry.