I turn to Zeke. “We’re doing it now?” I question.
He gives me his usual impatient look. “That’s what I just said. Are you slow or something?” He mumbles something else that I can’t quite make out.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him who the hell he thinks he’s talking to, but he’s already leaving me behind to catch up as he gathers the posters he’s created and heading to Danny’s office.
“Janine?” Danny calls.
I turn to see an impatient expression on his face. Gathering my tablet, I head in his direction behind Zeke. My body begins to quake with nervousness upon realizing I don’t even know what campaign Zeke has decided to present in this meeting. We went over it at least four different ways to present this app to the public—none of which were the ideas that I had originally come up with. Whenever I’d thought to reintroduce my campaign, Zeke’s words on the true reason why I was hired played out in my head. That, coupled with Danny’s confidence in Zeke when he first introduced me to him, stopped me from speaking up.I am supposed to be in a position of learning from Zeke, not speaking over him, my mind would remind me whenever I thought something he said didn’t sound quite right.
“Gentlemen,” Danny begins as he shuts the door behind the five of us. “I appreciate you coming in so early. I’d like to introduce you to one of my top employees. Zeke has been with the company for a number of years and is especially talented.”
I watch as Zeke confidently shakes their hands, giving them a look of esteem I didn’t even know he was capable of. Hell, I barely realized he was capable of more than sneering since that is about the totality of my experience working with him.
“And this,” Danny continues, moving next to me, “is our newest member, Janine. She comes all of the way from Boston and is eager and anxious to get to work supporting the new campaign we’ve put together.”
“Gentlemen,” I say, extending my hand.
Both give me polite smiles while firmly shaking my hand.
I’m proud of myself for not displaying the nervousness in my voice.
“Let’s have a seat?” Danny offers, pointing the two men from Digita toward the couch, while Zeke takes a seat to their left in one of Danny’s chairs and I sit to the right.
Danny pulls out an easel, setting up the posters that Zeke brought into the office on it, turning them backwards so we can’t see their contents.
“As I’ve stated, Zeke is one of my most trusted employees, and as a result, I have given him the utmost trust in taking the lead on this project. So without further ado, I’m going to let Zeke take it away. Zeke.”
I carefully watch as Zeke rises and looks between the two men. He immediately opens up with his knowledge of Digita’s past projects and how this new app is a natural extension of the company.
“However, given the oversaturation of your current market, I thought it would not be a wise choice to market this product to the same users that you’re used to …”
I wrinkle my forehead, wondering where this is going. All of the campaigns that Zeke and I have discussed focus primarily on Digita’s current market base.
“Therefore, I have come up with a campaign that speaks to the newmomprenuer,” he proudly states as he turns the first posterboard around.
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut as the air rushes from my lungs. I clamp down on my lips to keep the incredulity from spilling out of my mouth. Silently, I watch as Zeke discusses the market base of working millennial parents, many of whom are opting to use the internet and technology to their advantage to work from home while raising a family. I grow livid as the idea I showed him weeks ago, the very same one he said was ridiculous, is being presented for Digita as his own.
And not only that, but they’re eating it up.
My chest aches with the anger that I’m holding in.
“I told you he was a star, didn’t I, gentlemen?” Danny says proudly as he stands next to Zeke once the presentation is complete.
“Oh, and Janine assisted as well, I’m sure,” Danny adds.
I barely hear my own name as I glare at Zeke. His eyes narrow at me, but when he turns to Danny and the men from Digita, that smile returns.
“I need to speak with you,” I say, folding my arms across my chest as soon as Zeke and I are back at our respective desks.
“I’m busy, I—”
“Right now before I march in that office and tell Danny the truth,” I seethe.
Danny is still in the office with the men from Digita. They loved the campaign idea and are now discussing the paperwork and contracts that will be issued for this project.
“Fine,” Zeke huffs as if I am inconveniencinghim.
The fucking nerve.
