Isabella
Take the afternoon off? In my book that equates to you’re-lucky-you-didn’t-get-fired.
Shit. Who knows? I might be.
I Google the whole scenario that just happened and find out that Patten Securities can’t fire me. If they do, I can sue. However, that assumes I can afford a lawyer.
Seriously?
This world is so screwed up. Xavier, who reports to the top dog can screw any woman that walks into his office and no one says squat. I just mention that my performance review might not be fair and may lose my job.
I punch my forehead with my palm. Why can’t I just learn to shut my stupid mouth?
In truth, this is all that James Statten’s fault.
First off, someone in HR shouldn’t wear such a sexy scent. I have no idea if it was cologne or soap but it must’ve been really expensive to get my sorry hormones fired up.
Secondly, he should brush back the lock of hair that falls into his eyes and shave the stubble. A guy in his position should not have that kind of bad-boy thing going on. Finally, for an HR director, he’s got about as much sensitivity as Donald Trump.
What’s up with that?
And why on earth, with all that in the negative column, am I wondering what he’d look like, naked in my bed? It’s probably that I haven’t had sex for over a month.
I bet his lips are soft and he tastes like the coffee I smelled on his breath.
Dammit all.
I don’t care who the hell he is or how good he smells, he’s got no business trying to take Jeannie’s place.
Maybe that’s why I went off on him. I ping her but get no response. Damn. What happened to her?
I guess there’s nothing else to be done but update my resume with all the right key words. I got a couple friends willing to hire me but I’m not ready to move to the west coast. I just got settled and then, there’s Jared.
Okay. So, my boyfriend is no knight in shining armor but he’s not a complete ass, not like James Statten. Well, except for lately… but every relationship has a rough patch, right?
I mean, my Mom and Dad were married for years and fought all the time.
Then they got divorced, Izzy.
Whatever.
As soon as Jared finds a new job, I’m sure everything will go back to like it was before and we can get married. Maybe we’ll even make love when I get home.
It is Valentine’s day and he used to love it when I’d surprise him at work. Smiling, I remember all the places we made love, including the gym, late at night in his cube, and the office supply closet.
After stopping at Starbucks for some joe, I take a nearly empty “M” train to Bushwick, rush down the stairs, and under Myrtle Ave. Then, I trudge a few blocks through black mushy snow and I’m home.
I unlock the door to my studio apartment and…
What the fuck?
Maya is naked in my fucking bed with my fucking boyfriend and she’s fucking him.
Oh my God. This can’t be happening.
Jared scrambles to find his pants and Maya screams, ducking under the covers, as if that will help.
Me? I just stand there like a picnic table set up on train tracks. The whistle blows and the headlight is a-comin.’
Finally, I manage to gather a few brains cells to form a coherent sentence. “You have until five to get your shit and get out!”
“But babe. This is my house, too.”
“Move in with Maya. Her apartment is bigger than mine. Five! Got it?” I slam the door and ping my friend, Melanie Quinn.
Me: Lunch?
Mel: Sure.
This has to be the worst Valentine’s Day on the face of the planet.
I wrap my scarf closer against the wind. A nor’easter is supposed to be barreling up the coast and will drop at least a foot of snow by week’s end. I hear there may be another scheduled after that.
Bring it on.
Our favorite hangout, Talon Bar, isn’t open yet, so I text her a small place known for a decent lunch, sit in a comfortable booth, and order a local artisan beer. The place used to be an auto body shop. The garage doors were replaced by plate glass and look out onto the sidewalk. The tabletops are covered in sixties Formica, the floors have a feeling of old cement, and the walls are cinder blocks. Like everywhere in Bushwick, there’s a disdain for opulence.
Mel shows up in about a half hour looking like a million bucks. She always did but even more so when she married CJ and had his kid.
“What’s wrong?” After she tugs off her warm parka and motions to the waitress, the tears I’ve been holding back, slip out and fall down my cheeks.
“I caught Jared in bed with Maya.” It’s so damn hard to say out loud but once I get started, it spews. “In my bed! In the apartment that I pay for. Using the sheets that I bought. What the fuck? Ew!”
When the server comes over, Mel orders me another. I down it, she pulls me out of the booth, and drags me to the lady’s room.
She splashes cold water on my face and scolds like no other woman can. “No one is going to see you fall apart. You hear me?”
I nod. This area of Bushwick is like a small town. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. If I sit here crying and getting drunk, it will get back to Jared.
Fuck that.
“He’s a loser, sweetie. Always has been.”
I dry my face on a paper towel, and the mirror reflects this sad, puppy dog look. Then we exit the bathroom, go past the bartender cleaning glasses, and head to our booth.
Once we’re settled, I grab the bowl of crispy kale and munch thoughtfully. “Did you know he was cheating on me?”
“Of course not. I would’ve had CJ beat his ass from here to Texas, if that’s really where he’s from. I’ve had my doubts. Not only that, he has this roving eye thing going on. I never quite trusted him.”
“Now you tell me.”
“I did try.” Mel gives me a knowing look and squishes me in a hug which makes my eyes start to sting again.
She’s the big sister I never had. “Dammit. I got him the nicest Valentine’s Day card and bought this little lace teddy… oh shit.”
The waitress returns and Mel orders us both a salad but I don’t think I’ll be able to eat. Maybe that’s the problem, I’ve been so miserable recently that I gained two pounds. Maybe I haven’t paid enough attention to him, been pretty enough, not been good enough in bed.
I try to focus on what Mel is saying but it’s like she’s light-years away when she snaps her fingers in front of my face. “How did you happen to be home in the middle of the day?”
“Oh my God. That’s the other thing I didn’t tell you. I almost got fired. The HR guy at Patten Securities told me to take the afternoon off.”
“What the fuck? I thought they liked you.” She motions to the bartender and points at my empty glass, finally understanding how utterly wretched my day was and it’s only half over.
“My new boss thinks I need to be less confrontational. He said I would’ve gotten a higher number, except for that.”
“Holy shit. Is that even legal?”
“I’m not sure but when I went to talk to human resources about it, my friend Jeanine was gone and this other guy was there. Hot as hell guy, by the way. When I told him what went down, he was pissed.”
Mel’s brows furrow as she swallows down some lettuce. “Wait. That’s good, right?”
“No. You don’t understand. He wasn’t pissed at my boss. He was pissed at me!”
“Wait a minute, what did you say to make him so mad?” Her intelligent eyes narrow.
Time to ‘fess up, Izzy.
“I may have mentioned a lawyer.”
“You didn’t.” She puts both her hands on my shoulders, as if she’s about to shake some sense into me.
“I know, I know, but you wouldn’t believe the shit I’ve had to take. Sometimes, I have to tell it like it is and men don’t like it. But, if a guy says the exact same thing in the same tone of voice, then it’s fine. Gah!”
I finish off my beer and order another but that’s it. There’s no point in getting drunk. I just need to take the edge off.
“Listen, CJ’s brother, Andy, is a lawyer. You want me to talk to him?” Mel watches me, and I realize she’s still playing with her first drink. She has to go back and work this afternoon and I feel bad for putting all this on her but she’s always been my rock.
For a moment my hopes jump up but then, as I think it through in my head, I realize I got no proof of any wrong doing. “No. I guess not. It’s all so vague. Nothing in writing. No witnesses.”
“Well he must’ve had to write down a reason for giving you a lower percentage on your review.”
“Oh yeah, he did. He said I hadn’t put in enough billable hours.”
“Is that true?”
“Shit. Yes. But he was the one who assigned me the non-billable work. Gullible, gullible, gullible.” I clunk myself on the forehead. “For a fucking genius, I can be so damn stupid.”
“Know what you should do?”
“Stay here and drink?”
Mel grins and hands the bartender her Amex. Then she digs into her giant purse and hands me her workout clothes. “Go to the gym. Work it off. Sweat.”
“I guess I could use it. I can’t even go home until five. I gave Jared until then to move out.”
“Wait. You left him alone in your apartment with your stuff?”
“Yeah.” Suddenly, I remember her past, how her boyfriend locked her out and stole everything she owned.
She picks up the phone and presses speed dial. “Hi honey. Can you get Jack to the address I just texted to you? Izzy is kicking out Jared… Agreed… Uh-huh… Jack should make sure the guy only takes what is his… I know. Right? Uh-huh… Okay. I love you, too. Bye.”
She smiles at me. “Don’t worry about a thing. That cheating asshole will be gone when you get home.”
“Wait. Maybe it was all a mistake…”
“A big mistake. Give me your cell phone.” She makes a big deal deleting him out of my contact list. “No cheaters. You deserve better. How long you guys been a thing?”
“Just over a year…”
She calls an Uber and puts me in it, along with a bag of her workout clothes. “Go. Text me when you get home.”
“I will.” Then, I try Jeanine but her cell still goes directly to voicemail.