"Dad, please," Cameron calls out. But David is so enraged he continues to ignore him.
I appreciate Cameron attempting to diffuse the situation. "It's fine. I'll go."
"And don't expect a reference from this club." He sneers.
"I don't need one. Others already saw my worth," I tell him as I turn to leave.
"You'll regret this, Joelle," he calls after me. "Running off to America. You'll be back in a year begging for your job."
I stop at the door and turn around. I look at Cameron, he looks terrified. Then at David. "I won't," I tell him with a satisfied smirk. He'll be the one contacting me at the end of the season. And I walk out with my head held high. Screw him.
This wasn't how I wanted to leave the club after all these years, but it's how I've been forced to.
I make it home before I break down in tears, anger, frustration, and humiliation. I grab my phone and call Collette.
She answers on the second ring. "Hey! Did you hand in your ..."
"I got fired." My voice cracks.
"What?"
"Cameron called his dad when I handed in my resignation. He didn't know what to do with it. David came down and fired me on the spot. Said I was disloyal. A bad influence." I'm sobbing now. "He had security escort me out, Lettie. Like I was some criminal."
"Oh my god, Jo ..."
"And my visa." My stomach drops. "Shit. My visa is tied to my job. I have a week, maybe less, to pack up and leave the country."
I can't breathe as I'm hit by a panic attack.
"Jo, breathe. Just breathe."
"I don't know what to do. I have to pack up my entire life in a week."
"Listen to me," Collette says firmly. "You're going to be fine. I'm calling HR right now. We'll work something out. The Mavericks want you. I'm sure we can expedite everything, just like they did for me when I left the Devils."
"But my visa ..."
"I'll handle it. Go relax for a moment and then start packing what you need and what you don't need. I'll call you back in a few hours."
"Lettie ..."
"I've got you, sis. I promise. Just breathe."
I nod even though she can't see me. "Okay."
"I love you. And, Jo? Fuck David Cooper."
That makes me laugh through the tears. "Yeah. Fuck him."
I hang up and text Polly, letting her know what happened.
Polly: Fucking asshole. I'm in meetings all day. I'll leave work as soon as I can. I'll grab the girls and we will work shit out.
Later that night, Hazel and Tate join Polly and me on the couch, drinking my frustrations away with copious amounts of wine.
"David Cooper is a twat," Hazel says.
"Agreed," Tate adds. "Can't believe he fired you on the spot."
