But the biggest moment of Claire’s life wasn’t a mistake. It was a choice.
That afternoon, Claire spotted a young girl in an oversized hoodie acting nervous near the sandwich shelf. When the child bolted, Claire followed—down city streets, through the cold, until she found her hidden in an alley.
The girl had a sandwich. A candle. A lighter.
And a birthday song sung quietly to herself.
Claire’s heart cracked.
Instead of anger, she offered kindness. Instead of punishment, she offered food and safety. And when Logan tried to call the police? Claire stood her ground. “Call if you must,” she told him, “but if you do—I quit.”
She lost her job that day.
But gained something far more powerful.
The next morning, the store owner called her in. He had heard everything—from neighbors, from customers, from Mrs. Thompson who always bought tea and bread.
“Logan’s not taking over this store,” Richard said. “You are.”
Claire’s eyes filled with tears.
She had risked everything to protect a child with a candle and a sandwich.
Now, she had a new title: Manager. Steward. Heart of Willow’s Market.