“Nope, you won’t.You’re going to take this as room and board I owe for every time I came home from college and ate all your food.I’m still getting the better end of the bargain," I promised.“But you have to make me dinner tonight as a thank you.I’ll be home by midnight.”
I bolted away to get ready before she could think of a way to refuse, then listened to her leave early.
An hour later, I walked into work, feeling optimistic.Arriving earlier than usual because of the report, not because of Lianna’s attitude the day before, I smiled at Whitney, who was already at her desk.
“Did you get a chance to look at it?What did you think?”
“Look at what?”she asked.
“The report I sent out last night.I copied you on it.”
She looked away from me to check her email and shook her head.
“I don’t have it.”
I sat down, booted up, and checked my sent items.The report was missing.I went to send it again, but it was missing from my hard drive as well.
“Huh,” I said calmly.“That’s weird.”
From the outside, I kept my cool.On the inside, I was cussing up a storm.Who and why?Those were my two biggest questions while I dug the thumb drive out of my purse and resent the email from the evening before.
“Sent it again.Glad I came in early.If you still have time to read it, let me know what you think.I’d love the feedback for the next time I’m given the opportunity to work on something new.”
Whitney nodded, already opening the attachment as I removed my thumb drive and walked away with it in my pocket along with my phone.
I sent my girls a text once I was in the break area.
Me:How often do you have to deal with coworker sabotage at work?
Wrenly:Very rarely now, but it was nuts back in the beginning.Why?Is someone threatening you?Do you need me to send my muscle?
Miranda:Your muscle is in a meeting with your mom.
Wrenly:My other muscle then.Say the word, and I’ll send Bennett.
Me:No need.I was just curious.Also, Bennett’s overprotectiveness seems to be contagious.You might want to get that looked at.
Wrenly laughed at the last comment.Miranda didn’t, and I hoped the meeting with Mrs.Wulf wasn’t serious.
Giving my coffee an extra bit of cream and sugar, I returned to my desk to wait to see whose plans for sabotage I’d thwarted.But nothing happened.
The morning passed without incident.Well, not completely.My Dad called twice.I sent him to voicemail both times.The first message he left simply instructed me to call him back.The second was an attempt to meet me for dinner tonight.
I didn’t reply to either until I went to the cafe downstairs for lunch.
Me:Thanks for the invite, but I’ll pass on being part of TAS’s pitch deck for the Hestian Global contract.Hope it works out for you.
Smirking, I imagined his reaction.A flushed face.Maybe an angry vein or two popping from his forehead.A dramatic chest clap like he was having “the big one.”An enraged phone throw.
I happily finished my lunch and waited for a return call that never came.
My afternoon passed as quietly as my morning, and I left on time.Since I was in a good mood, I stopped for takeout pizza and ate a slice on the way home.
Mom’s car was in the driveway when I pulled up.I grabbed the pizza and went inside to find her at the table, working on her laptop.She didn’t look up at me when I entered, but I could still see her puffy red eyes.
“Hey,” I said.“Glad you’re home.You can help me eat this pizza while it’s still hot.I got our favorite.Pepperoni with extra mushrooms.”
She let out a shaky sigh.“I was let go with four other people today.They got severance pay.I didn’t because I wasn’t there long enough.My manager said she tried to fight for me, but upper management had the final say.”
