We were about thirty minutes into the movie when the sound of my phone’s ringtone caught everyone’s attention. My heart stopped for a second. When Joy pushed the phone in my face and told me to answer it, my heart pumped again. I took a breath, then answered.“Hello, this is Jubilae Plates.”
“Jubilae, how are you doing? This is Juanita.”Her tone was even. It gave nothing away.
I smiled as if she could see me.“I’m doing great. A bit anxious under the circumstances, but great nonetheless.”
She tittered.“I can certainly understand the anxious part. Well, I hope this call will alleviate your anxiousness. I was calling to congratulate you on being named the new president of MediGenix Pharmaceutical Company.As we’ve discussed previously, the approved press release will run on the six o’clock news as well as be in all international publications by morning. Please stay close to your email for next steps. Again, congratulations, Jubilae.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you for calling and letting me know. I appreciate it.”After she told me to have a great rest of my evening, I disconnected the line. I just sat there frozen.
I felt like I was in an alternate reality or something. Tight arms wrapped around me. “Mama, I’m so sorry. I know you wanted this.”
My sister jumped up from that couch. “Sis, fuck them people! If they don’t want you to be their company’s president, then that means they don’t know what greatness looks like. Ole capsule, pill face, codeine, Percocet face ass bitches. I hope all their drugs are found in pill mills around the world and they get shut the fuck down!”
My eyes ballooned before I burst into a giggling fit because what the hell. My son and nephew laughed with me. Joy was crazy as hell. If you asked me, it was the reason Chance preferred her to be a stay-at-home mom and kept her well. She did not do good with the world on most occasions, and he knew that.
“Joy, what the hell! I got the job!” I spoke through my laughter.
My son jumped up and grabbed me from my seat. He and my nephew rejoiced in my good news. My sister stood there with a tight face for a moment before she spoke.
“See! The devil tried to use me, but God said no! I rebuke the devil and his trickery.” Joy jumped up and down. “Yes! My sisteris a president of a whole drug company! She’s a queen pin out this bitch!”
Chance pointed at the couch. “Mama, sit down now, or I’m gonna tell Daddy when he gets here. Nope! You’ve said enough.”
She crossed her arms over her chest like she was a toddler, then stomped over to the couch. “I like how you’re telling me what to do like I didn’t birth your ass.” She pointed at her chest. “I’m the mama in this bitch!”
“And I’m the daddy! Why the hell are you so loud, Joy?” Chance’s voice broke through.
The way Joy’s face lit up at the sight of her husband made my heart smile and ache at the same time. I knew that feeling well. I missed that feeling.
Joy jumped up. “Baby, we have a queen pin! My sister’s a muthafuckin’ president!”
The New Prez Is Here . . .
The day was finally here. My first day as the first not just female, but African American female president ofMediGenix Pharmaceutical Company.I didn’t have to think about what I would wear, because I picked that out the day I applied for the position. Yep, I was confident and showed it with a tailored suit that hung in my closet, ready for its debut.
My gray pantsuit with the matching vest was enough to cause a pause, but I wanted to completely stop the show. I was a woman who loved vibrant colors, so the hot pink dress shirt, heels, and pink-gray tie took it to that stop all traffic in the halls level.
I knew when I decided that I would get back into corporate that I would need to be set apart in more ways than one. Toeveryone from the outside looking in, I was a thirty-eight-year-old single mother who had just finished graduate school. I was the oldest applicant to be hired for an entry level regulatory analyst position. Age discrimination was a real thing that a lot of workers faced.
I fought through the young heifers that thought the job was a make or break for me. Little did they know, I was a cool millionaire, thanks to my late husband’s investments and insurance policies. I went back to school and work because I wanted to avoid an idle mind. I didn’t need to work . . . I wanted to work.
My son kept himself busy with school, football, and being with his cousin and friends. We spent time together, but he wanted to be with his uncle, coaches, and friends. Initially, I felt rejected, but I knew he needed what he needed to be alright.
From day one atMediGenix, my intellect, professionalism, and style set me apart. I knew who I was, and a big part of that reason was because of Julius and how he loved me. The way that man loved me was as close to perfect as it went. Were we perfect, no! We both had our shit with us, but we always worked through our shit together. I thank God for the love that he allowed me to experience with him.
“Sis, I’m coming to your office for lunch. Make sure you put me on whatever list so I can get in there.” Joy knocked me out of my daze.
I turned around from where I stood in the mirror to gaze at her. “Joy, how about you let me be in the position for a week before you come up there? I don’t know what my schedule will look like right now.”
Her face scrunched and neck bucked back. “So, presidents don’t eat lunch now? Those people can’t control what you do on your lunch. I was able to eat lunch with you when you were a vice president.”
“You’re whining like you’re the baby sister and not me. Girl!” I laughed as I slipped my feet into my heels. “Let me get acclimated, and then we gonna have a good lunch.”
Joy pouted like a brat. “Fine, I’ll accept that compromise. You’re paying too.”
You would think that my sister was broke, but she was far from it. My brother-in-law, Chance Scott, was a retired professional football player, and my nephew was a current professional football player. Chance and Joy had been together since high school. Their love was much like Julius and mine was.
I finished getting ready while I talked to my sister. I had to go to the office at nine. It took about thirty minutes to get there from my home. My big sis didn’t leave without praying over my first day as she’d done every first day that I had that she was around for. I loved her for that.
