Chapter 13 : Against all odds
Lincoln had been waiting endlessly for the CEO to respond to his request—whether granted or denied. Tired of the silence, he decided to reach out to Jullie, hoping she could influence Dr. Cook in his favor. However, her phone line wasn't connecting, and she hadn't been coming to the office either. That was all Lincoln could uncover.
He remained optimistic. His stellar performance at the mall should speak for him. He expected Dr. Cook to call the previous day to inform him his request for further studies while continuing work had been approved. But the call never came.
Today again, Dr. Cook was absent. Lincoln was hopeful, perhaps tomorrow. Five working days had passed—still no sign of the CEO. No one had a reasonable explanation for his continued absence.
Lincoln was now desperate to return to school, especially after Whitney had just received her admission letter to study Nursing at a private university. Her news had become a catalyst, pushing him not to relent in his own pursuit of education.
Another twenty working days went by. Still, no sign of Dr. Cook. At the end of that month, he suddenly appeared with two executive men. They spent only two hours in the office before leaving. Very few employees knew he had even been there—not even Lincoln, whose expectations were high. Lincoln didn't hear about the visit until three days later.
With no clear sign that Dr. Cook would be returning regularly, Lincoln shifted his focus to gaining admission first. If his request was denied, he was prepared to quit. However, studying in a private university was not his first choice—it was expensive, and he would be self-sponsoring.
That was one reason Lincoln stayed loyal to his job under Dr. Cook. His income helped support his education, his aging parents, two siblings, and, of course, Whitney.
Whitney, on the other hand, had her education covered by her single mother. Though the burden was heavy, Becky had the resources. Her flourishing music career provided ample support.
Dr. Cook remained inconsistent with his office presence. The staff had grown used to it. Only Lincoln still waited, hoping for a response.
Surprisingly, Dr. Cook returned a few days ago and spent the entire day at the office. The next day, he arrived at noon with Jullie. He immediately summoned Lincoln.
Just a minute later, the two executives from before walked into his office. Jullie stayed briefly, then left. Lincoln waited, hoping to be called in, but didn't get the chance. The three men stayed together all day.
The same unpredictable pattern continued. But Lincoln noticed something—whenever Jullie came with Dr. Cook, they stayed longer than usual.
Lincoln was now growing pessimistic. He had decided—admission or not—he would leave the job in two months. Whitney disliked that idea. To her, quitting without a clear next step was irresponsible. She realized frustration had taken over his life and was determined to help him through it.
The deadline Lincoln had set for himself came and went—still no admission. However, he continued working and earning enough to save and take care of his needs.
The reason he hadn't gained admission? He kept failing the entrance tests—surprising, considering his brilliant high school record.
One bright morning, months after waiting for a response, Dr. Cook resumed work earlier than anyone else, including Lincoln. He checked in on every department. When he reached Customer Services, Lincoln had just stepped out to use the restroom. They crossed paths as Dr. Cook headed back to his office—but there was no sign he remembered Lincoln's request.
Lincoln regretted missing that opportunity. Still, he kept watching for another chance.
The next day brought unexpected news. A colleague, Linda, had secured a better job. She postponed her start date just to properly resign from the mall. The news hit Lincoln hard. Her situation mirrored his, but she had seized her opportunity without hesitation.
Determined not to miss his chance again, Lincoln went straight to Dr. Cook's secretary to express his intention to see him. Fortunately, Dr. Cook was in but had three visitors. The secretary encouraged Lincoln to wait—they had already spent 30 minutes with him.
He waited ten minutes but grew anxious about his department. He returned briefly to assist two waiting customers, then came back. The visitors were still inside, but this time, he took a seat without being told.
Soon, the visitors left, and Dr. Cook returned to his office. He noticed Lincoln waiting.
"Are you waiting to see me?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir," Lincoln replied, standing up respectfully.
He followed him into the office.
"Please, take your seat," Dr. Cook said.
"Yes, how may I help you?"
Lincoln hesitated. "Sir, I notified you weeks ago that I'd like to proceed with further studies while continuing to work at the mall."
Dr. Cook paused for a while, reading Lincoln's face.
"Yes, please continue."
"Could you kindly approve it, Sir?"
"There's a policy in place that outlines rules for all employees. It may be difficult to bend the rules. Still, give me some time to think it over and give you a response that's fair to both of us."
Though the reply wasn't negative, it sounded like the drone of a mosquito to Lincoln. He had hoped for an immediate yes.
"Thank you, Sir," he said, rising reluctantly.
Just as he was opening the door, Dr. Cook called back.
"Lincoln, you look sad. Are you not pleased with the reply? Anything more to say?"
"I just hope you'll get back to me soon, Sir."
"Alright, take your seat again," Dr. Cook said. "What exactly do you want?"
"I want the opportunity to continue working full-time while pursuing my degree."
"So you're asking for a full-time job and full-time school? Do you expect to be paid the same?"
"Yes, Sir. I'm not asking for part-time work or part-time salary."
"You can't eat your cake and have it," Dr. Cook responded. "Why not consider part-time studies and a full-time job?"
"No, Sir. I prefer full-time studies alongside my full-time job."
"In that case, your salary will be affected—if I even decide to bend the rule."
"I don't mind, Sir."
"Have you gained admission yet?"
"Not yet, Sir."
"When you do, inform me immediately."
Lincoln's face brightened with a smile. He felt relieved and couldn't wait to tell Whitney. He began focusing again on securing admission. Despite the high cost, he considered applying to Whitney's school and studying Nursing. It would allow them to stay close.
Whitney had no objections—as long as he could sponsor himself.
That same week, Lincoln applied to the university. When admissions began, he was accepted to study Nursing. However, his savings could only cover the first two years.
He informed Dr. Cook of the admission.
"Congratulations, Lincoln," Dr. Cook said. "We've decided to give you the privilege—and to reward your dedication to this organization. It's unprecedented for someone to convert their job here to part-time. Usually, it's either you stay or you leave.
"But your recent performance convinced the management that your output is unlikely to drop—even if we allow you to take a part-time position. Also, your salary will remain the same, though all other benefits will be withdrawn. This gesture is to appreciate your resilience, diligence, and determination to grow.
Congratulations once again."
"Thank you so much, Sir," Lincoln replied. "I promise to keep working hard and exceed expectations."
He left the office, overwhelmed with joy. The secretary also observed.