Later that afternoon, Abby approaches Mali again, her arms crossed and her expression tight. She has noticed that despite all their conversations, he still hasn’t made a move. The hesitation frustrates her, but she also understands his conflict. “Mali,” she says quietly but firmly, “avoiding the decision won’t solve anything. Every day we put this off, the shop runs at half strength. We need someone who can handle both the water and the desk—or else we’ll keep falling behind.” Her words are practical, sharp like the edge of a blade, but beneath them lies a hint of concern: she doesn’t want Mali burdened by indecision.

Mali listens, torn in two directions. Abby is right—the business can’t thrive with only half the role filled. Yet when he pictures telling Lacey she no longer has a place, his stomach knots. He remembers the gratitude in her eyes that morning, the earnestness in her voice when she said the job mattered. He cannot bring himself to crush that hope. Instead, his mind races for a compromise, a way to bridge the gap between Abby’s demand for competence and his own unwillingness to dismiss someone who still has potential.

Finally, after pacing the shop floor, Mali calls Lacey over. She looks nervous, as though sensing the weight in his voice. He sits her down and speaks gently but directly. He explains the shop’s reality: they don’t just need someone behind the counter, they need someone who can also step into the surf, lead lessons, and give customers the full experience they come here for. Then, after a pause, he offers her a path forward. If she is willing to commit to training—if she can learn to surf at a level where she can confidently teach others while continuing to manage the shop—her position will not only be safe, it will become invaluable.

For a moment, the room is silent as Lacey processes his words. Relief washes over her face, mingled with determination. It won’t be easy, and she knows she has much to prove, but the chance to fight for her place fills her with renewed purpose. Abby, watching from across the room, remains skeptical but cannot deny that Mali has carved out a solution—one that gives Lacey responsibility without excusing her shortcomings. The shop’s future now rests not on a dismissal, but on whether Lacey can rise to the challenge and transform herself into the versatile team member they desperately need.

Whether Lacey will truly be able to rise to the challenge remains uncertain. The training will demand more than just enthusiasm; it will require discipline, resilience, and the ability to balance teaching responsibilities with the daily grind of managing the shop. Learning to surf at a professional level is no small feat, and the added pressure of knowing her job depends on it makes the task even heavier. Still, there is a fire in her that Mali hopes to see grow—if she can channel that determination, perhaps she can become the well-rounded employee the shop so desperately needs.

Yet Abby’s doubts linger like storm clouds on the horizon. From her perspective, Mali’s decision risks prolonging the inevitable. If Lacey falters, the shop won’t just lose time—it may lose customers, reputation, and revenue, all of which are far harder to rebuild than to preserve. Abby worries that Mali’s compassion, admirable as it is, might blind him to the harsh realities of running a struggling business. In her eyes, giving Lacey more chances could easily tip from generosity into recklessness.

And so the question hangs in the air, unresolved: Will Lacey prove herself, mastering both the waves and the work behind the counter, securing her place in the team? Or has Mali chosen the path of sentiment over strategy, setting the business on a course toward even greater risk? The answer lies ahead, in the long hours of training, in the patience of her mentors, and in Lacey’s own determination to fight for her place in the sun.