“How the hell am I to know?” I yelled back. This was my job, and I needed it, but I be damned if I ever let someone talk to me like they’ve lost their mind.
“My files are missing, and you’re the only one who’s always in the file cabinet. You either tell me where they are or?—”
“Or what?” I cut him off, folding my arms across my chest. If he thought to threaten me, I’d turn this place upside down. “Don’t you ever in your life try to accuse me of something I didn’t do. You’ve lost your mind with that!” I growled.
“Then where’s my file?” Patrick screamed in my face.
I drew my hand back, ready to slap him, but I was pulled away. Whoever that was who pulled me back just saved me from losing my job. I turned and saw that it was Kaye. I’d have to remember to get her something for her birthday or buy her lunch.
“He’s not worth it, Kenzlee,” she stated.
I nodded slightly and sighed deeply. “I’ll be taking the rest of the day off.”
Saying nothing to anyone else, I went to get my stuff from my locker. I walked out with my head held high. When I got home, I’d call Kaye to let her know what happened.
As soon as I got in my car, my phone rang in my purse. I set the purse in the passenger seat and took out the phone. It was Kaye calling.
“Hello?” I answered, starting my car.
“What happened back there? We had patients, and they heard y’all.”
I closed my eyes and leaned my head on the headrest. “Damn. It wasn’t my fault. He came in there screaming in my face, thinking I was scared of him. I don’t care if he’s a surgeon there. That didn’t give him the right to talk to me like that.” My blood boiled with fury at what took place.
“I’m glad I walked in when I did. If I hadn’t, you were about to hit him. Patrick always wants to be the big man when the boss is not here.”
I smacked my lips. “He had the wrong one today.” I stared out the dashboard window, and the clouds were gray. I hoped we weren’t getting any rain.
“Well, I need to get back to work. Are you coming in tomorrow?”
I nodded. “Yes. I’ll be here.”
“Okay. Talk to you later.”
I set the phone in the cup holder and put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking spot. I’d be going to the gym today. After what happened at work, I needed to use the punching bag as a way of working out my anger.
I put as much power into each punch I gave the bag, picturing Patrick’s head as the bag. It had been a while since I had felt this way before. Fury simmered through me, putting me in a chokehold. It bothered me that he did that because no man had ever raised their voice to me like that. Even when Jonathan and I were in a relationship, he never yelled at me the way Patrick did. I wiped my forehead and sighed deeply as my chest heaved upand down. Although I got tired, I needed this workout. It put me in a better mindset than I had been in earlier.
“Whatever the bag did to you, it’s sorry,” a voice teasingly said.
I smiled and held the bag before I stepped away from it. I didn’t want it to hit me when I tried to move away. Removing the gloves from my hands, I set them on the floor.
“There you go, sneaking up on me again.” I wiped my forehead and glanced around for my water bottle.
Nash chuckled before he came to embrace me. I went to him willingly and rested my head on his chest. I needed this hug from him. Having him close to me like this was a joyful feeling.
“I didn’t mean to scare you if I did. What has you beating up the punching bag?” he asked, rubbing my back soothingly.
“This man at work being an asshole.”
Nash tensed up and stopped rubbing my back to pull me away from him slightly. He had a frown on his face as he stared at me with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean he was being an asshole?”
I thought nothing of it as I told him what had happened at work.
“Patrick slapped the paper on the desk, nearly slapping me in the face. He then yelled in my face as if he were right. I didn’t like that at all. No man had ever handled me like that before. I almost slapped him, but I was pulled back. If I had to put my hands on him, I’d lose my job, and I didn’t want that to happen.”
As I talked about what happened at work, I was still in disbelief at the way Patrick acted. He falsely accused me of something I didn’t do.
“Is he at work now?” Nash asked in a hard tone.
