Janel’s head tilts. “I should be asking you the same question.”
Her retort straightens my spine.
“I like to know about what is happening in my office, Winter,” she goes on. “I understand that some things may be uncomfortable to bring up, but I would like to think I’m the type of supervisor who is open to any tough conversations my employees want to discuss.”
I nod. “You are.”
“Then why did I have to hear about Cody harassing you through Thomas Moskins?”
Everything stops.
Thomas Moskins didwhat?
She gestures toward the seat across from her desk, and I slowly lower myself into it. “Winter, I know things like this aren’t easy to bring up. But I wish you had come to me directly.”
I cannot believe he would go to her about Cody.Whenhad he done that? The day he told Cody to get out of my cubicle? After our lunch that day? Recently? Did he do it after we…?
I can’t even think about that.
I shake my head. “I didn’t want to make the work environment awkward. Cody was a lot, but I know how much of an asset he is to the team.”
“You’rean asset too,” she informs me with stern eyes. “And I do not want you thinking that what he’s doing is okay. It isn’t. When I asked around after Mr. Moskins made the claim, it became clear to me that he’s been doing this for a while. Not only to you but also to others. Clients included. And I cannot have that here.”
Cody has been here the longest out of any of us, and I’ve heard the rumors about his flirtatious conversations with some of our clients. They’re usually not met with interest. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to you. It isn’t because I didn’t think I could. I’d hoped that if I ignored him, he’d get the hint.”
A sad, sympathetic smile pulls at the corners of her lips. “He’s a man, Winnie. Men need detailed diagrams drawn to understand things. Cody has always been a little too confident for his own good.I’msorry that I didn’t see it sooner and do something about it.”
Guilt washes over me for not bringing it to her attention. Then irritation and something else, something lighter, washes that away when I think about Moskins stepping in.
Wetting my lips, I ask, “When did Thomas Moskins come to you about Cody?”
She leans back in her chair and picks up her yogurt. “The morning of our meeting with him to go over the schedule of events.”
Why hasn’t he said anything tomeabout it?
Because you’ve been too busy getting off to him to ask the right questions, dumbass.
I internally cringe at that inner voice.
“Is he going to be fired?” I ask, unsure if I want to know the answer. If he does, will it be my fault? I mean, I know I’m not the one telling him to hit on everyone in the office, but Ididgo out with him. I gave him the impression I liked him for some chicken and pasta. Which was so not worth it. The chicken was drier than Cody’s personality, and the pasta didn’t have enough sauce.
“I don’t know yet,” she tells me earnestly. “It doesn’t look good. I’ll have the final say, and I’m not entirely sure what my choice is. For now, I’m letting him sweat it out. That being said, I want you to know that your opinion matters to me. Everybody here needs to feel safe. If, for any reason, Cody makes you feel otherwise, I would like to know. I’d planned on coming to you about it soon, but now is as good a time as ever to talk about it.”
It isn’t that Cody makes me feel unsafe. Just grossed out. But do I want to be the reason he loses his job? “I don’t appreciate his lack of personal space,” I tell her carefully. “Or his taste in cologne.”
A small smile tilts her lips.
“But he doesn’t scare me or anything necessarily,” I add, lifting my shoulders. “He’s just…a lot. Maybe if he gets scared straight and does some sort of mandatory sexual harassment course, things will be better. I don’t know.”
It’s the best I can offer her right now.
Thankfully, she accepts it. “Okay then. I’ll talk to a few more people and figure it out. Thank you for being honest with me.”
I stand and go to the door.
“Oh. And, Winnie?”
I turn to her.
