‘I am lucky,’ Michelle stated with so much meaning, Chloe wasn’t sure she had ever heard her say anything in that way ever before. And she wasn’t quite sure how to respond, so she didn’t. She just let Michelle’s sentence have room to breathe and glanced out of the coach window at the scenery as they rolled by towards today’s destination Gunnar had asked to be in charge of.
‘I am so, so lucky,’ Michelle continued, this time sounding bright, more upbeat, like this feeling was revolutionary.
‘Yes,’ Chloe agreed.
‘And most of the time I behave like a raging bitch who is angry at the whole world with absolutely no reason for it.’
‘Well…’
‘And you can only say it’s down to hormones for the past almost nine months of it. For the rest of the time… that’s just been me being me and not appreciating anything. Like some privileged princess with no concept of reality.’
It sounded like Michelle had been getting deep into motivational podcasts – not necessarily a bad thing.
‘Don’t be hard on yourself,’ Chloe told her.
‘Why not?’ Michelle asked. ‘Why shouldn’t I be hard on myself? You know, Chloe, everything you said to me was absolutely right. 100 per cent correct. And I know that for two reasons. One, because when you were saying the words to me I could feel them hitting those deep places inside we like to try to ignore. And, two, because you’ve never said anything to me that hasn’t been 100 per cent correct.’
Chloe smarted in her seat. ‘Well, apart from telling you I spoke Icelandic.’
‘One thing,’ Michelle said. ‘One small thing that somehow I made into a huge deal. And made you feel you couldn’t be honest with me about it.’ She shook her head. ‘Shocking. As is not only not treating you like my very best employee but not treating you like my equal or treating you like… my friend.’
‘Well, in business I know it’s hard to keep professional boundaries but?—’
‘But I did not support you as an employer, as an equal or as a friend when you were going through one of the hardest things anyone has to go through,’ Michelle stated.
OK, this was definitely new and different behaviour from Michelle and Chloe wasn’t quite sure how to react to it so, again, she let it sit.
‘Chloe… the pitch for Sinclairz Chairs is magnificent.’
‘Magnificent’ was not a word Michelle used lightly. And Chloe felt that professional pride fizzing in her stomach. She wasn’t just good at her job, she was magnificent.
Michelle continued. ‘In the time you’ve had there in Iceland you’ve really put the work in. It actually made me want to resign as a director from this company and start working at Sinclairz Chairs so I get to experience this magical island you’ve described it as and all their work camaraderie the way you’ve put it together. You’ve made it sound like an advertorial for working with Lincoln actually.’
‘Oh, have I?’ Chloe said, frowning. ‘I’m sorry if that’s your take away from it, I?—’
‘Chloe, stop,’ Michelle butted in. ‘Nothing I am saying here is a criticism of any kind, OK? Nothing.’
Chloe swallowed. It was like some kinder, softer, lighter version of Michelle was pulling the strings now. It was unprecedented.
‘You are not only an incredible employee, Chloe,’ Michelle carried on. ‘You are an incredible person.’ She took a deep breath. ‘And I feel so much pride in saying that because I am so blessed that you work for me. But… I’m not sure how long that can continue.’
Chloe jolted as the vehicle bumped over a lump in the road and she had to steady her laptop as well as her heart. Michelle was going to accept her resignation. Well, Chloe had written it, meant it. But still, this was the moment her career as she knew it, as she had built it, was going to come to an end.
‘You know what I’m saying, Chloe? Right?’
Chloe nodded. ‘You liked the pitch, but I broke your trust when I lied on my CV and I breached ethical code when a robot voice told the chamber of commerce that Sinclairz were a potential client and all that is fact, despite the nice things you’ve said using “magnificent” and “incredible”. You are going to accept my resignation.’ She took a breath. ‘So, what happens now? Do I just leave?’
‘What?’ Michelle exclaimed. ‘What are you talking about? I don’t want you to leave! But I understand your reasons for wanting to leave having worked with an unappreciative monster all this time!’
Did she really want to leave? Or did she just want things to change? Those questions could have fitted with so many scenarios in her life, but did she even have an answer?
‘Chloe, where even are you right now?’
Chloe glanced out of the window at the scenery flashing by. It was snowing today, but lightly, like someone was up there in the clouds, sieving icing sugar on top of a glossy, mossy, rocky cake. ‘I’m on my way to Husavik to see some whales.’
‘I don’t remember that being mentioned in the pitch for Sinclairz Chairs.’
It wasn’t. This was something she was doing for her and Gunnar. He had the opportunity to take this tour as the driver and she had remembered he had spoken about it when they were on the boat the first night she had seen the Northern Lights.
