I sit at my desk, anger running through my veins as I go back to my emails. It’s going to be a long day if I can’t let go of this anger, but try as I might, I just can’t do it. It takes me a while, but I realize that for all Brett has been so high and mighty about the whole thing and pissed me off, it’s not really him I’m annoyed at. It’s myself. Because everything he said was true.
I did call in sick and although I was actually sick, it wasn’t like I was ill, it was just nerves and I knew it. I called in sick because I didn’t want to face Brett after what happened on Friday, just like he said I had. I hate that he sees through me so easily.
Somehow, I get through the rest of the day. I’m polite, pleasant and friendly to Brett when he comes in, and whenever any other staff members are around, but when we are alone, I don’t speak to him. I barely even look at him. I know he notices, but he doesn’t care enough to ask me about it, and that suits me just fine.
I don’t want to give Brett any other reason to be annoyed with me, so when five o’clock rolls around and I should be finishing for the day, I stay and finish up the report I am working on. At 6:15 when it’s finished, I print it off and go to Brett’s office. I tap on the door and wait.
“Come in,” he calls.
I go in.
He looks shocked to see me. “I thought you’d left.”
I hold the report up for him to see and then put it on his desk. “I wanted to get this finished first.”
He opens his mouth as though he’s going to say something, but then he closes it again and just nods. “Thanks.”
Turning, I head out of the office.
“Hold on a second and I’ll walk down with you,” Brett says.
I can’t think of any good reason to say no. I already have my purse with me and Brett can see I’m clearly ready to leave. I wait mutely as he closes down his computer and grabs his jacket and briefcase.
Oh God, maybe he has a date, I think to myself with horror. Don’t even go there, I tell myself.
I think about asking him how come he’s leaving so soon, but he’d be perfectly within his rights to tell me to mind my own damned business. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of being able to do that. We walk to the elevator in silence.
Brett leans forward and presses the button and we wait.
I twirl a loose tendril of hair around my finger as we wait. I can feel myself getting nervous again. Why would he have asked me to wait for him if he didn’t have something to say to me? My stomach rolls and I will it to be still.
Please don’t throw up here, I think to myself, although if I did, maybe then Brett would feel like an asshole for dragging me in to work today.
Finally, the elevator car arrives. I get a sinking feeling when I see it’s empty. Great. More awkward silence. Why didn’t he just let me go and give me a couple of minutes to get out of sight before he left?
I press the button for the ground floor and the elevator begins to move.
“I’m sorry I was so harsh to you this morning,” Brett says quietly once we’re moving.
Shrugging my shoulders, I lie, “I’m over it.”
“Well, I’m not. I handled it horribly and I’m sorry. I guess I was just ashamed of myself. I don’t generally fraternise with employees like that, and I’m sorry for that too,” he adds.
I soften ever so slightly. “Believe it or not, I don’t make a habit of sleeping with people I work with either. Why don’t we just forget about it?”
“Yes,” Brett agrees. “My thoughts exactly. Which is why I think a temporary transfer for you would be a good idea. I’m only going to be here until my father is well enough to return, so it’ll only be for a few months. You can choose your department and I’ll make sure you’re well rewarded financially for the inconvenience.”
Anger surges through me once more. He thinks he can have his fun with me and then palm me off to another department once I become a problem to him? Well, fuck that. The offer of a financial reward too? I mean that doesn’t make me feel like a whore at all.
I open my mouth to tell Brett exactly what I think of his bright idea when the elevator stops and the doors ping open.
Brett doesn’t even look at me.
“Think about it,” he says as he steps out and hurries away from me.
At least now, I know why he wanted to walk out of the building with me. He would never have said that in his office, knowing I would likely yell loud enough for half of the building to hear me. Well, if he thinks I won’t do that in the lobby, then maybe he’s the one who has hugely underestimated me.
I step out and rush across the lobby to catch up with Brett. I am almost half way across the lobby when my phone rings. Dammit. I snatch it out of my bag and answer it without looking at the screen. I’m expecting it to be Rita, calling to ask me to pick up dinner, and I plan on telling her I’ll call her back.
It isn’t Rita’s voice that greets me, it’s Gary’s, “I see
