The review continued over the next several weeks.
There were interviews.
Statements.
Document comparisons.
Archived logs pulled from systems no one in my family had ever heard of.
The forged signature was analyzed. The routing pattern was reconstructed. The timeline that had once looked unfortunate became clear enough that even the most cautious officials stopped calling it a misunderstanding.
Jason was not publicly disgraced in the way gossip pages would have wanted.
There were no dramatic scenes in hallways.
No shouting outside offices.
No spectacle.
There was something far more meaningful.
A correction entered into the record.
My delayed promotion history was formally reviewed.
The administrative cloud over my file was removed.
A letter was placed in my personnel record stating that the prior action had relied on falsified authorization and incomplete review.
It was written in careful language.
But careful language can still carry justice.
Jason retired earlier than expected.
