Winston has been nothing but kind to me, so I oblige.
I stand to clear the chair across from me that’s piled high with colored folders, but he beats me to it. My colleagues preferred digital notes, but I love a good hard copy that I can feel between my fingers and doodle on. Now I get to take home data to refer to in the future.
He lifts them with ease, but pauses and looks down at the blue folder on top. “You were doing work for Deshawn Miller?”
I nod. “He was Trevor’s client, but I was his main contact for non-emergent issues after his injury and surgery. The transition was rough for him, so I attended physical therapy with him. Emotional support and all.”
Deshawn has texted a few times. After getting cleared to return to basketball, he dove into preparing for preseason, and I’ve been cheering him on from afar.
His lips pinch. “I wish I would’ve known that.”
I take a seat. “What did you want to talk about, Winston?”
“Yes, sorry. I wanted to reach out earlier, but I needed to take care of some things first.” The look in his tired eyes is wild. “There’s an ongoing investigation happening, and I need your input before making any final decisions.”
“Investigation? About what?”
He bows his head. “About the way you were treated while working at Permian. Trevor’s been put on probation.”
Everything stops for a moment as Winston and I stare at each other. There’s no way those words came out of his mouth.
“Probation.” The word feels weird to say.
Come on, Shay. Say something better than that.
I straighten. “It’s about fucking time.”
There’s no point in trying to hide my outburst, but thankfully, Winston laughs. “That’s the reaction I was expecting.” Before I can join his laughter, he grows serious. “I had quite a few people tell me what went on for the last two years between you two. I knew Trevor wasn’t the easiest guy to be around, but he always had a solid handle on teaching newer agents. I should’ve checked in on you more, and I’m sorry for letting you down.”
“I appreciate that,” I say. “It’s—”
“It’s not okay. As the CEO of Permian, my job was to make sure you felt safe. I’m sorry you had to experience that.” An exhale cuts through the tension. “I remember when you first walked in here for your interview. By the time you were back in your car, I was already drafting your offer for the internship. If I could’ve, I would’ve offered you a full-timeposition on the spot. On the first day of your internship, I told Trevor there was a full-time position with your name on it. I guess he took that as a threat.” Winston places something in front of me. “You’ve got a lot of good people in your corner who care about you. The discrimination against you was verified by many sources, and it was easy to launch an investigation. Trevor’s termination is imminent. He will never work at Permian again. Which is why I’m here.”
The manilla folder he slides across the table is thin, and my mouth falls open when I read the first page. “A contract?”
He nods. “I’m in the market for a senior agent and would love to have you, if you’re interested.”
The typed offer looks too good to be true. “But it requires many more years of experience than I have.”
“Sure, but you’re the perfect person for the job. I’ve watched you grow and mature into the agent you are today. When I didn’t see your name on the promotion list, I was shocked, but didn’t want to give you any special treatment by asking. It’s clear I should’ve, but that’s behind us now. Moving forward, there’s nobody I’d rather have to fill the position, so I hope you take it into consideration. Of course, I’m sure the world is desperate for their shot at Shaylene Turner.”
Maybe, but none of them are in North Carolina.
None are close to Cade.
This position ishere.
Closing the file, I look up. I’ve always wanted to work somewhere I’d be respected, have autonomy, and not dread coming to work.
With Trevor gone, that could be my new reality at Permian.
“Would I be able to work closely with clients? Trevor had so many that I managed the day-to-day and more basic tasks, but I like talking to my clients.”
“That’s why you’re good at your job. You care.” His smile is thin as his head shakes. “But probably not. It’ll be difficult for you to manage every aspect on your own since you’ll be overseeing many more clients than your current load allows. A junior agent would handle those things for you.”
“Is that normal? To not be able to do everything for them?”
“Sadly, yes. In this field, the bigger you are, the harder it is to do everything. It’s part of the growing process. Moving up and forward. But it’s worth celebrating.”
