door.
“There’s a student here to see you,” she said. “She says she needs a reference for a scholarship.”
I almost asked her to reschedule. My schedule was packed.
But when the girl stepped inside, something about her stopped me.
She looked nervous, clutching a folder to her chest.
“Ms. Carter?” she said softly. “My name is Emily Lawson.”
I gestured for her to sit.
“How can I help you, Emily?”
She slid the folder across my desk.
“I’m applying for the medical scholarship your foundation offers,” she said. “My mom told me… if I ever needed a reference, I should come to you.”
I frowned slightly.
“Your mom knows me?”
Emily nodded.
“Her name was Melissa Lawson.”
The air seemed to leave the room.For illustrative purposes only
For a moment, I couldn’t speak.
Emily continued quietly.
See more on the next page“My mom passed away three months ago.”
My throat tightened.
“Before she died,” Emily said, “she told me about you.”
I felt tears sting my eyes before I even realized they were coming.
“She said you were the most selfless person she had ever known,” Emily went on. “She told me you gave her a second chance at life.”
Emily reached into her folder and pulled out a sealed envelope.
“She also asked me to give you this.”
My hands trembled as I opened it.
