“Nonstop drama. I didn’t run over her foot. Listen, I feel like Dani and I should only communicate via email or something. It’s just too volatile.”
“Alex, would you mind if I put you on speaker? We can address the bullet points here and just call it a day. I’ll mediate. That’s my job.”
“Fine, whatever,” I said with a mouth full of turkey and lettuce.
Kevin put the phone on speaker, so I did the same on my iPhone. I was sitting at the kitchen bar eating my sandwich, fully intent on listening, abiding, and pleasantly arriving at some conclusions or agreements with Danielle. I guess I will never learn.
“So guys, I have to say, this is our fourth meeting and I still have not gathered all the information I’ll need to put a plan together. I’m still waiting on those documents, Alex. And Dani, I need you to fill out the schedule form and let us know what your workday will look like.”
Before I could even respond, Danielle started in. “Alex, we can hear you chewing over the speakerphone. Can you postpone your lunch, or mute your phone when you’re not talking?”
I threw the sandwich across the kitchen. I mean, I really chucked it hard against the Shaker cabinets. I couldn’t help myself. Little bits of shredded lettuce went all over the counter and floor and I had no intention of cleaning it up.
“I’m done with the sandwich,” I said calmly. “Kevin, I’ll have my assistant drop off the insurance docs later today.”
“Who the hell is your assistant?” Dani blurted out.
“It’s Jenna, Dani. You know that.”
“Jenna is not an assistant and she’d vomit knowing you calledher that. Jenna is a supervisor. She runs your entire clinic and she has more schooling than you in her big toe.”
“Are you done, Danielle?” I said. “And is this you mediating, Kevin?”
I could hear muffled talking before Kevin took me off speaker and came onto the line.
“Let’s reschedule. Tempers are flaring and I’m not sure we’ll get much accomplished today,” he said.
“You just need to mediate, Kevin. That’s the idea.”
“Dani stormed out. She’s gone. And for propriety, I don’t think we should talk any further.”
“So are you billing us?” I asked.
“Alex, this is my time too,” he said.
“Dani—”
“You left, Alex. You drove away.”
“I’ll call you back. This is still our hour.” I hung up the phone and immediately called Danielle.
“What?” is how she answered the phone.
“Are you coming straight home? We need to have a discussion since mediation was completely pointless.”
She stayed quiet for several moments. I could hear her breathing heavily. “I’m in an Uber. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” She hung up.
I looked around to see what I could do to avoid being yelled at when she got home. I cleaned up the sandwich, wiped down the counter, and got the mail. Despite my desire to stand up to her, it’s not worth enduring five minutes of her wrath.
She used to be my best friend, my confidant, my cheerleader, my teacher, my lover. Now it’s like she was my tyrannical boss.
I heard the familiar clacking of her heels as she walked down the long hall from the front door to the kitchen. “Alex!” she yelled.
“I’m in the kitchen,” I said.
She hesitated in the doorway of the kitchen for a moment. I saw her eyes dart around the room. Looking for something, I imagine. Something to complain about. I was standing, relaxed against the kitchen sink, my feet crossed at the ankles and arms crossed over my chest.
We glared at each other.
