'I'l just walk down and talk to her.' I smiled at him, even though my insides were hopping like rabbits on crack.
Paul nodded and sat back in his chair. We didn't say
anything at first, just looked at each other, but we didn't
need words to share our thoughts. In some ways, Paul
would always be more than a boss to me, which was even
more reason why it was time for me to move on.
'Paige, I just want you to know…' He hesitated, and I
gave him the time he needed to say what he had to say.
'I've realy enjoyed working with you.'
'Me, too, Paul.'
'And I wanted you to know, too…that if not for you, I
don't think I'd have made it through the past couple of
months.'
I shook my head. 'You're giving me too much credit.'
'Maybe.' His tone said he didn't agree, but he wasn't
going to fight me on it. 'I just wanted you to know, though,
that every day I knew I could come in here to work and
find everything the way I wanted…no, needed it…every
find everything the way I wanted…no, needed it…every
day I faced knowing I didn't have to worry about anything
because it would al be done…I appreciate that.'
He could've offered me a raise, a better computer, more
vacation time. He could easily have kept me, then, just by
asking. Paul could've kept me without much effort, but he
didn't.
He let me go.
'I'm not sure there are any slots left in the program.'
Vivian, for al her bravado, couldn't meet my eyes when
she spoke. She toyed with her files, her pen, the pad of
paper on her desk where she'd ostensibly taken notes
during my interview, but where she'd realy only scribbled
and doodled. 'I'm afraid you should've applied sooner,
Paige.'
'Vivian,' I said calmly. 'I know why you wanted me to take part in the program.'
She looked up, her eyes narrowing. 'Oh?'
I nodded and let it sink if for a minute before she spoke
again.
'Your qualifications are average,' she said flatly. 'But you come highly recommended.'
I happened to be confident my qualifications were not
merely average, but I didn't push her on it. 'I'm also the
best candidate you have for this program.'
'You can't know that.'
It was only a guess, but her answer told me I was right.
No matter how much she'd wanted to get me away from
Paul and under her thumb instead, she also had to hire
candidates who could do the work. I also knew this was
an in-house program, open only to current employees, that
even if it was 'better' than being an executive assistant, it was stil considered entry level, and I could've counted al
