I Started Asking Whether Anyone Had Been Having Trouble Sleeping

I started asking during Monday meetings.

Nothing dramatic. Just, “Anyone having trouble sleeping lately?”

At first, people answered normally.

Mara said she’d been waking up around three. Daniel blamed caffeine. Pete laughed and said he hadn’t slept properly since his daughter was born.

I wrote their names down.

The next week, I asked again.

Mara stopped laughing. Daniel asked why I kept track. Pete muted himself.

“Just noticing patterns,” I said.

After that, everyone started looking tired.

Dark circles. Slower responses. Cameras off.

One morning, Daniel didn’t join the call.

Nobody mentioned it.

I asked whether anyone had been sleeping better.

Six people immediately said yes.

Too quickly.

I checked Daniel’s name off the list.

Then I opened next week’s schedule and circled Mara.

“Good,” I said. “One at a time.”