Jade
I haven’t spoken to Zach much in days despite all the times he’s tried to reach out. Not wanting to hear his voice, I keep it to texts, really short texts. If given the chance, I know he’ll somehow trick me into a phone call. He’s a smooth charming talker that way. Every time he calls, I don’t answer, but out of politeness, I do send him a message saying I’m busy, or tired, or whatever half-lie I come up with. I know in my heart, I need to slow down, step away and regroup. So it’s exactly what I’m doing.
The moment I walk through the glass door into work, something feels off. The atmosphere is tense. I smile at Jennifer, one of the other tellers, as I unlock the employee entrance and step through. The moment it clicks behind me, Melissa’s office door lurches open and she sticks her head out.
“I need to speak with you, please.” She sounds more like a boss today than she did the day she hired me.
She’s sitting in her chair with a red folder used for employees in her hand and points to the seat across her desk. Slowly, I sit with perturbation icing my blood.
Melissa exhales as she laces her fingers together and rests her forearms on the edge of the desk. “Some changes have gone into effect companywide this morning. Corporate is laying off most, if not all, of the part-time tellers and restructuring the schedule so the full-time tellers are able to cover it. As of this morning, you’re no longer employed here.”
I feel the color drain from my face with fire spreading in its wake. The slow blistering burn scatters over my skin, down my neck, through my spine, and into my toes. “We’ve operated like this since I was hired.” I know I’m grasping at straws, but, “I’m pregnant. I need this job.” My voice falters as I fight the tightness in my throat.
“I’m sorry,” she says somberly. “I fought for you. Even said I’d hire you full time, but they denied the request. They’re not hiring anyone, hence the layoff.”
I swallow my tears.
“I’ll be accompanying you while you remove your things.”
“I have none,” I hear myself say.
“I’ll need your key card.” That pained her to say.
Unclipping it, I hand it to her and stand to leave while I still have a bit of dignity. I don’t say anything as I nod and exit her office, feeling a hundred pounds heavier. My tears are pooling up as I push through the door, but I hold on for a few more long seconds that feel like hours until I get to my car before I burst. Dropping my face into my hands, I cry.
I’m pregnant without a job…
Every ounce of anger is forced through my arms and out of my hands slamming the front door behind me. I throw my keys across the room with my purse right behind it. Driving home, my defeat turned into rage. How the hell could they not even give me a warning? I’m fucking pregnant. I needed a warning so I could prepare.
“What the hell is going on?” Freya comes sliding into the living room with wide eyes.
“They fucking laid me off.” I barrel out and then burst into tears. “They laid me off…”
“Oh my god.” The disbelief strangles her voice. “Why?”
“Corporate move,” I mumble into my hands. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
She starts to put her arm around me, but I move. “Just let me be, please.”
I collapse onto my bed and curl up into a ball allowing my emotions to run their course. My tears are full of wrath, desolation, worry, but most of all, failure. I have a baby on the way to make a grand entrance and now I have no way to support him or her. I’m already failing as a mother. The thought alone is devastating and causes my tears burn harder.
After an hour of feeling downright worthless, Freya knocks on the door and doesn’t wait for me to call her in. Her hair is down in its gloriousness of natural kinky tight curls and they spring when she sits beside me.
She flashes a small smile. “Hear me out.” Great. One of her grand plans. “I think maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Like the universe is lining you up for success. Max has been offering you a job for years with phenomenal pay and better insurance. What if the universe is trying to tell you something but you’re not hearing it?”
“With that drive, I’d be making pennies.”
Another small smile. “Then move. Another whisper from the universe. You have a key to Max’s house. You’d be closer to him and the baby daddy.”
My brows knit together. “Are you kicking me out?”
She titters. “No. But as an outsider looking in and someone who loves you dearly, you’d be an idiot not to do it. It’s the smartest thing for you to do.”
I’m chewing on my lip, pondering. Could I do it? Take a job I am incredibly inexperienced at, move in with my brother and interrupt his life?
“Have you called Zach and told him?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No. I wanted to, but I’m not ready to hear him save the day…or have him know that the woman who is mothering his child is a disappointment.”
“Which is precisely why you should call Zach or at least your brother.”
“I’m not exactly excited about having to tuck tail and call my brother for help either,” I admit.
“Max would be thrilled you came to him and you know it.”
“Yeah,” I sigh, and then sit up. “After the way I left things with Zach, I don’t care to talk to him right now. But I think I’ll go talk to Max in person. Applying for a position over the phone doesn’t seem so professional,” I resort to my sarcasm.
“Pfffttt…you could do it in pajamas with your hair in curlers and he’d not give a damn. I have to head out but let me know how it goes.” She hugs me. “Be careful.”
The entire ride to the winery, I was alternating between hyping myself up about asking Max for help and fighting the urge to call Zach for the comfort I know he’d give me. It was a brutal struggle, but I know if I want to stay at a distance, I need to learn not run to him with all my problems…regardless of how good it feels when he wipes my tears.
I take a deep breath before pulling open the doors and feeling the cool burst of air conditioning hit me in the face.
Isabella smiles when she sees me. “It’s so good to see you, Miss Lauder.”
“It’s Jade. Jaaaadddeee,” I laugh and she does too.
“Sorry. Force of habit.”
“Is Max here?”
“He is. Would you like for me to call him up?”
“No. He doesn’t know I’m coming. I wanted to surprise him.” I flash a fake happy smile and head to his office.
The closer to his door, the harder my heartbeat bashes against my chest. His door is open and he’s reading over some papers when I stroll in like I own the place.
“You’ve always been good at pretending to work. I swear it’s why Mom and Dad like you more.”
His head jerks up at the sound of my voice and a cheesy grin spreads from ear to ear. He springs to his feet. “They like you more and you know it,” he says, rounding the desk, and pulls me into a tight hug. “What brings you by? Is everything okay?”
The scratchy burn trickles at the bottom of my throat and I force it away with a smile. “Yes. I just got into town and figured I’d stop in and see my annoying brother.”
He sits back into his chair behind his big fancy ass desk as I take the little chair across from his.
“Look, I’m sorry about making you call Mom and Dad,” he starts.
“I get it,” I interrupt. “You’re pissed, hurt, betrayed, and ragging. Just don’t set me up like that again. Deal? Can we call a truce?”
His lips pull up. “I’d like that.”
Inhaling confidence, I straighten my back, pull my shoulders up, and plant a professional smile on my face. “Mr. Lauder, I’ve heard you have a supervisor position open for something with the new wine tasting expansion.” God, I’m a such a damn moron. I don’t even know what job I’m asking for. “I’d like to apply.”
His eyes gleam. “You’re shitting me?”
“I was laid off today.” Admitting it forms a lump in my throat and my breath gets caught under it. Warmth dampens my eyes as my chin starts to tremble.
Max begins to move to me, but I hold out my hand. If he comes anywhere close to me, I’m going to burst and dammit, I’m done crying about it. I blink to the ceiling, desperate to keep these bastard tears at bay. I take another breath before continuing.
“It’s important for me to have a job because I’m pregnant. And in about six months I’ll need to take maternity leave. I need to inform you that I have absolutely no experience with wine, but I have a guy who has offered to teach me everything I need to know. He’s brilliant with it and I trust him fully to get me educated.”
He folds his hands on his desk. “The manager position is available, but the expansion will not be complete for another five to six months. But, I’m willing to compromise with you. I can hire you in training, therefore giving you time to familiarize yourself with the company and the wines, the processes, and the way things work. After the baby comes and you’re back on your feet, you’ll be ready. I’ll pay you the same while in training and throw in incredible insurance.”
Relief is inhaled. “What will my hours be?”
“They’re pretty flexible for now since the expansion isn’t complete. We’re open from eleven to seven, Monday through Thursday, eleven to nine on Friday and Saturday, and one to five on Sunday. More than likely, you’ll not work on Sundays since we don’t host any tasting hours on that day. Ideally, I’d like you here an hour before we open.”
“When can I start?”
The gleam in his eyes hasn’t dulled. He’s excited as hell. “When can you start?”
“Can I get back to you in a day?”
“Of course. Take all the time you need. Do you plan on moving?”
And just like that, our professional play switches into brother and sister. “I was hoping to talk to you about that too.”
His damn eyes are shining, glistening with so much happiness that it makes the weight on my chest lift. “You know you’re always welcome. You don’t have to ask, just move in.”
The reassurance makes me breathe a relieved giggle. “I can’t see just popping in with all my things without asking you first.”
“Whenever you’re ready, I’m ready. You’ve got a room. Are you up for a tour?” He stands as he asks.
I nod, getting to my feet and flinging myself into his hug. He squeezes me. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise,” he whispers and instantly, it causes me to cry.
“I’m pregnant. No job. No income. This sucks. This isn’t what I expected,” I weep into his chest.
He remains silent, allowing me to get it out. When I finally wipe my tears and look up to him, his brows are hiked high.
“What?”
“You haven’t cried on me since Noah broke your heart,” he says. “As much as I hate to see your tears, it feels good I’m trusted with them.”
“Are you seriously getting all sentimental on me?” I deadpan. “You’re a weirdo.”
And just like that, he pulls me out of my pain. It’s why I love Max…well, that and because he’s a butthole of a big brother.