Page 3 of Major Penalty

He’s older, mid-fifties maybe, with sharp brown eyes and an impressive salt-and-pepper beard.

“Running late?” he asks, his voice smooth.

“Nope! Just…...took the stairs. Three floors up, no big deal.”

He glances at the elevator directly behind me. I internally cringe before closing the door.

“Ambitious.” He smiles, a knowing look in his eyes.

“I, uh, brought some extra references I found, sir.” I clear my throat, gripping my tablet like a shield as I step forward.

Dr. Mathews leans back in his chair, studying me.

“I already read the reports and references you sent me over a month ago.” He gestures toward the stack of files on his desk. “Trust me, there’s no need for more. As I told your father yesterday, I’m impressed. More than impressed, actually.”

“Oh, wow.” My cheeks warm. “Thank you, Dr. Mathews.”

“Relax, Irene. You’re more than qualified for this position.”

“I am?” I blink, the slightest flicker of panic catching in my chest. “Is that…...a problem?”

“Not at all.” He chuckles, shaking his head. “Just unexpected. With your resume, most people would’ve aimed higher.”

“Well,” I say, fiddling with a loose strand of hair, “I didn’t want to skip steps. I want the hands-on experience. Learn from the ground up. Learn from the best.”

“And work with your father, I’m guessing.” He nods, looking pleased, then flips open my file again.

I swallow, forcing my voice to stay light. “Yes, but I’d appreciate it if that didn’t come up often. You know, the whole who my father is.”

“Yes, you mentioned this yesterday, but I’m still not sure why that is. Your father might be the most respected person in this building.” He tilts his head.

“That’s exactly the reason, Dr. Mathews. I don’t want that to win me any favors,” I say honestly. “I want to earn my place here on my own. I’ve always wanted to help people. It’s why I’m studying to be a physical therapist. Helping others and making a difference in their lives.”

And every part of that is true. It’s what I’ve been driven to do for as long as I can remember. My dad always says, “If you can’t help yourself, help someone else.”It’s a piece of advice that’s stuck with me.

But when I was faced with an entire summer of doing nothing—no classes, no growth, just…...being stuck in the same routine—I knew that wasn’t something I could do. I couldn’t spend another summer just sitting around and waiting for the next semester. So, I begged my dad to let me come here. To work at the Panthers’ headquarters. To do something with my time that actually felt important. Something that would help me get closer to my goal.

Surprisingly, he agreed easier than I thought. He was even a little excited about it like he was proud of me for taking the initiative. Maybe it was his way of supporting me, or maybe he just loved the idea of me being around him more. But I needed this.

My response is met with a few moments of silence.

Then Dr. Mathews smiles. “Good answer.”

Relief floods through me.

“Welcome to the team, Irene.” He closes my file and leans back. “You’re gonna do great here,” he adds, motioning for me to sit.

“Thank you. I won’t let you down.” I sink into the leather armchair across from him.

“And your secret’s safe with me. Though, the guys aren’t stupid. They’ll catch on sooner or later,” he says, amused. Then he presses the intercom button. “Tina? Can you bring us some tea, please?”

Thirty minutes later, Tina leads me down another hallway, talking to me the entire time. Truth be told, I’m thankful. Her sweet blabbering eases my thrumming nerves and that’s something not even the chamomile tea could do.

We stop in front of a massive set of double doors, one of which has a plaque that reads ‘Conference room.’

“Heads up. They can be a bit overwhelming, but they’re harmless.” Tina winks at me before she pushes the doors open.

I step inside, immediately feeling my heart rate pick up the pace.

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