"I was shocked by this conversation. Maybe we really all had made a mistake!"

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I work in an office with several other frum women. Naturally, some women are friendlier while others keep more to themselves, but overall, there’s a very nice feeling between us workmates and the office has a warm, friendly atmosphere.
Recently a friend at work (we’ll call her Rachel) was in an accident and needed minor surgery and a couple of weeks of rehab. Her work friends organized a meal train to send suppers. Once she was in rehab, many of us texted her periodically to check in to see how she was doing without overwhelming her with constant phone calls. When she returned to work, we brought in balloons, decorated her cubicle, and ordered in lunch to welcome her back.
I noticed that Rachel was much more reserved when she came back. She was still very nice, but she wasn’t her usual vivacious self — almost like she was holding us at arm’s distance. I assumed she was overwhelmed and distracted, considering everything she’d been through in the last month.
At the end of her first week back, I watched Rachel one afternoon as she packed up her things to leave. She seemed to be back to herself physically, but she was still withdrawn from the chevreh and was kind of keeping to herself. When she walked out, I ran to catch up with her and asked her how she was doing. She smiled and assured me she was doing great. I asked her if she was feeling back to herself, because she seemed much more subdued since she came back.
Then she dropped her bombshell. She told me she hadn’t planned to say anything, she felt silly, she didn’t want to be overly sensitive, but since I was bringing it up, she’d be honest with me.
It turned out that she’d been hurt. She said that she really appreciated that we sent her family food for supper and Shabbos, and all the texts she got, and the beautiful welcome back. But, she continued, not one office mate had come to visit her during the month she was out, nor had she received a single real phone call. Texts, sure, and an abundance of get-well memes, but no one had actually picked up the phone and called her to talk.
She said she wasn’t angry or upset at anyone specifically, rather it was enlightening to her. I watched her eyes well up as she choked out this admission. She’d thought that her work friends were real friends, not simply workmates, but we’d responded as casual workmates, which made her realize she’d misread the dynamics in the office.
She smiled sadly at me. “I always considered you all my friends. I know everyone is super busy, and again, I’m grateful for what you did. But it made me see that you’re great office mates, but we’re not personal friends.”
She was quick to assure me that no one did anything wrong, she wasn’t angry at anyone, just that she felt dumb for thinking something that was, wasn’t.
I was shocked by this conversation. Maybe we really all had made a mistake!