It was the week of the Halloween block party and I had a lot to do. I was already running around like crazy, verifying vendors, organizing schedules, checking equipment, attemptingattendance predictions from social media interactions, and on and on. A part of me wanted to take the week off at my family’s company just to focus on all that I had on my plate, but the fighter in me wouldn’t allow it. I could do this. I’d been juggling both jobs for almost a year now, this was no different.
If it was going to wear me as thin as tissue paper then so be it.
“I’ve entered the data from the Steinberg meeting, the Claustermier deal, and I’ve prepped the conference room for the development team’s one o’ clock,” I answered.
Narrowed eyes set on me and I was sure when I looked up I would see Grace’s pursed lips. Yep—she’d even crossed her arms distrustfully too.Lucky me.
“I asked what you were doing, not what you’ve done,” she clipped, snarky tone in place with the rest of her rotten persona.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes while tension rolled through my body instead. “Just looking at my plan for the day.”
“What’s on your docket?” she interrogated.
My teeth scraped together. I was leaving soon, so there wasn’t much left to be honest, but I’m sure Grace would find something to pick at regardless. Still, I wasn’t able to think of another excuse, and by the way the heeled foot in front of my desk was tapping, I assumed she wanted an answer now.
I sighed. “Nothing. I was just wrapping up for today, actually. I have outside clients soon.”
“Ah,” she said, nodding. “I understand. So on top of using special treatment to constantly leave work early, you’re also stalling the clock well before it’s time for you to scamper out of here.”
“Grace, I already told you what I’ve worked on. If you would give me something else to do other than make copies, I’d be happy to,” I gritted.
“Obviously you aren’t even reliable enough to do that correctly,” she snapped. Pulling a stack of papers from underneath her arm she slapped them down onto my desk in front of me.
I jumped.
Blinking down at the papers, I recognized them as the ones I’d printed off for the meeting. One-hundred and seventy-five slices of tree stacked and stapled when these stiff-necks could just use a laptop instead—all wasted.
Grace saw the confusion in my stare but I doubt she saw the anger.
“The agenda has changed.” She sniffed. “Development will be meeting with project management in the large conference room with Mr. Fernandez present. They’re heading there now and yet, they have no material.”
I bristled. “When was this change made?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“I had no idea.”
“How could you, when you’re too busy daydreaming as per usual?” she said. “We needed those new documents prepared twenty minutes ago, Ms. Fernandez. Please bring them to the conference room when you’re done and I’ll go make an excuse for you in the meantime.”
My eyes slipped down to my watch. It was half past, I had already skipped lunch to stay later than normal since I’d be working on my party later in the week. My first appointment was in a half an hour. I didn’t have time for this.
“I can’t now, Grace. I was just leaving,” I said
“Why?”
“I just told you, I have clients.”
“That has nothing to do withthisbusiness, Alta. You have a responsibility to this job first. Then you can go frolicking around town playing games all you want,” she seethed. “If you can’t be a reliable source here, why do you even show up?”
Anger pulsed through me so hard I felt it behind my eyes, but for once it wasn’t tears. For once I wanted to put my foot down. I wanted to stand up for myself. I didn’t want to be treated like this.
“Grace…” my voice was low as I tried hard not to raise it. “That’s not fair and you know it. I always do everything I’m supposed to. You can’t just point the finger at me when there was virtually no notice for this change. I’m on my way out,I can’t do it.”
“Well.” Her eyes shot down to the papers she slapped in front of me. “Not quiteeverythingyou’re supposed to do, if this is unfinished, no?”
I wanted to scream. I truly did. So much so, that I wasn’t quite sure what was going to come out of my mouth when I opened it.
Luckily, the soft clearing of a throat cut through the air.
