I cackled at the story I had just created. “It was absolutely insane! He was like, “I’m not paying for this one” and I couldn’t stop laughing as I stuffed my mouth with tissues, of all things. I had to cut out early that day to go to an Urgent Care so I could get everything restitched!”
Brit held her stomach while she laughed. “I’m sorry, but that’s hilarious. Oh, my God! No wonder you told the story you did!”
I reached for my fork. “My story’s just easier to tell, so that’s why I told it. Either way, though, it’s not what anyone thinks.”
Her laughter settled down. “Yeah, I can see that now.”
“And here’s the thing: even if that’s not how it went down, I still wouldn’t want to rake him through the mud unless I had no other choice. He’s just been through a hell of a lot, and not just with my sister. Our families were hard on all of us, and none of us got out unscathed.”
“But still, Becca, you can’t deny the fact that his social life and work life have essentially stopped ever since you started working here. Now, all he does is make you miserable and breathe down your neck while getting bitched out by Bonnie. He never used to act like this before you were hired. I still think you need to at least talk with someone in H.R.”
I shook my head. “It’s not happening, Brit.”
She shrugged. “Then, I will.”
I paused. “What?”
She sighed. “Look, Becca, I don’t want to do this to you, but I was in an abusive relationship for years before I left. I know what the signs look like. And even if you two aren’t involved sexually, he’s still abusing you. He’s still taking advantage, and that needs to be reported. So, either you do it, or I do it.”
“Brit, you don’t understand what you’re asking.”
“I might lose you as a friend over it, but I’m okay with that, because what he’s doing to you and how he’s making you feel and all of these long hours you’re working? None of us deal with that. Literally, none of us. You’re the only one he does this to, and if you think H.R. hasn’t already taken notice of it? Then you’re just as much of an idiot as he is.”
I burned with anger. “Brit, don’t.”
She set her glass down. “Go talk to them. You don’t have to file, but you do need some guidance. You need a champion, and that’s what they’re there for. You go, or I go. End of story.”
I scoffed. “You know, for all of the insanity I’ve had to deal with, JoJo has never threatened me like this before.”
Her face filled with pity. “Yet somehow, I don’t believe you on that, either.”
Great. Just fucking grand.
22
Rebecca
I spentall afternoon at my desk pouring over what Brit had said. It made me sick to my stomach to think about because I didn’t even want to go to Human Resources in the first place, but what the hell was I supposed to do? Challenge her?
There’d be more wrath than I could’ve possibly imagined from JoJo if someone else reported the stuff he had done to me.
But what did Brit know, anyway? Not much. Not enough to give H.R. any sort of specifics. Maybe it was better if she went there and made herself look like a jackass. Then, JoJo would come down on her instead of me for once.
If I go to H.R., though, I’d have even more to hold over his head.
I hated playing his game. I hated being that person. But I knew it was the only way to get him riled up enough to destroy his own walls. Then, once he was exposed, I could show him the kind, generous man that he kept cooped up in the dark pits of his black soul.
So, I stood from my desk and headed down to the first floor.
I walked in through the door that said “Human Resources” on the front of it and made my way to the first empty desk. A woman sat there typing on her computer with her glasses sliding down her nose, and it wasn’t until they almost fell off that she swiveled away from the screen to try and catch them before they hit the floor.
And when she put them back on, she jumped. “Oh! Hi there!”
I waved softly. “Hi.”
She cleared her throat and rolled up to me. “Rebecca, right? The new hire?”
I nodded. “That’s me.”
