"Anna..."
Just like in Leon's memory, after calling out the name of the girl in front of her, Emma felt all her fatigue ebb away suddenly, like a receding tide. Even her shoulders, which seemed to bear the weight of a thousand pounds, felt suddenly lighter.
However, instead of joy and happiness, what replaced it was a lingering sense of remorse and shame.
"I lost my job..."
After drooping her head and saying this, Emma, or rather Leon of the past, explained with a face full of regret,
"I really wasn't slacking off, but I could only carry about half of what others could. The foreman only gave me half a month's wage and told me not to come back to the dock tomorrow. I..."
"You did well enough."
As the dim oil lamp and the girl's gentle footsteps came closer, a comforting voice, free of any hint of blame, whispered in Emma's ear after a warm embrace.
