Toni snorted.“Good luck with that.”
Chelsea smiled.“I’m certain Tours Australia will post an apology and I’ll keep you up to date with what’s happening.”
“Thanks, Chelsea.I know how hard you worked on this.”Toni hung up.
Chelsea exhaled.If only the rest of the people she had to deal with were as understanding as Toni.She checked her appearance in the mirror by the door, tucked a stray hair behind her ear and then knocked loudly on the hotel room next to hers.It was only seven o’clock, but Aria should be awake as she was flying to Italy today for a fashion show.
While Chelsea waited, she checked the time the damning post had gone up.One a.m..Aria had been drunk when Chelsea walked her to her room around midnight after the event ended.Aria had wanted to keep partying, but Chelsea had convinced her it would be wise to get a good night’s sleep before her long-haul flight from Sydney to Milan.
Chelsea pounded on the door again.She should have let Aria go out.Then Aria might have been too busy to post to social media.
Aria opened the door, her red hair a tangled mess and her eyes bloodshot.She wore a hotel robe and behind her every bottle from the mini bar was empty on the floor.The scent of alcohol suggested not all the liquid had gone into Aria’s mouth.
Yep.She definitely should have let her go out.
Aria screwed up her face.“What are you doing here?I thought we were finished.”
If only.Chelsea gritted her teeth.“You posted something to social media last night.”She held up her phone so Aria could see.
Aria squinted at it.“Yeah.”She grinned.“Pretty smart, right?I just found a whole new demographic for my label.”
Chelsea opened her mouth and then closed it again, trying to find the right words.How could she phrase this so it didn’t get Aria’s back up?Your post was… insensitive, ignorant, clueless.No, she still needed Aria to post an apology.She cleared her throat.“There are many people who find your comments offensive.”
“Haters gonna hate.”Aria walked back into her room and Chelsea followed her, trying to reason with her.
“Can you see how derogatory it might seem to those in our Indigenous community?”
“It’s not like it isn’t true.They need to stop being precious snowflakes about the past and move on.”
Chelsea had no words.She bit her tongue and clenched her hands.This clueless, self-absorbed, entitled cow deserved all the backlash that was coming to her.But right now, she held Chelsea’s job in her hand, so Chelsea had to play nice.
“The management of Tours Australia is quite upset as are the elders you disrespected.This could ruin the campaign we’ve been working so hard on.It would help if you could post a statement apologising for your comments.I’ll even write it for you.”She opened the note-taking app on her phone and started writing.
“That’s their problem.I’ve done my bit and been paid for it.”She flopped on the bed and turned on the television.The morning news was doing a story on her post.
Shit.
Aria laughed.“Look how upset they are.Bunch of woke hypocrites.”
“Please, Aria,” Chelsea begged.“I know it’s trivial to you, but this impacts me too.I would appreciate it if you posted what I write.”
“How does it impact you?”
“Because you’ve been my responsibility throughout this campaign.What you do reflects on me and I’m trying to get a promotion.”
Aria switched off the TV.“That’s stupid.You can’t control what I say.”She stood and walked towards the bathroom.
“Aria, please.”God, she hated begging this woman who had made her life hell for a fortnight.
At the doorway, Aria turned.“If they sack you, it’ll give you the opportunity to go out on your own.Forge your own career not dictated by others.It’ll be good for you.I gotta shower.”She shed her robe and left Chelsea staring at the closed door.
Chelsea rubbed her arms as a chill swept through her.She battled the nausea swelling in her stomach and inhaled slowly.
Memories flooded her of all those years watching her mother struggle to make ends meet, the uncertainty of where they would live when their lease was up, or the company her mother worked for had gone through sweeping redundancies.Seeing how stressed her mother was as she tried to find work during an economic downturn.
Chelsea had worked hard for her independence and to ensure she wasn’t vulnerable to the influence of others, but this post could ruin everything.
She had to get Aria to post the apology.
