Page 112 of Feeding Hope
“Katy was late back from lunch, and I was giving her a friendly heads-up when she got nasty and began cursing and causing trouble,” Tiffany simpered.
“Is this true?” Pepper asked, looking at Sami and Emily.
“Yes, Katy’s been nasty ever since she started mixing with that homeless guy. He’s a bad influence, and Tiffany was trying to help,” Emily said.
“Katy has always been jealous of Tiffany,” Sami added. “And Katy even called Mr Armstrong, Aiden; we all know he doesn’t like that.”
“Is that so?” Aiden asked from behind. Everyone turned and gaped. “I gave Katy permission to call me Aiden.”
I watched as Tiffany seemed nonplussed. Then her mind kicked in, and I guessed where Tiffany was heading before she spoke. “Oh, Aiden, how kind of you…”
“Excuse me,” Aiden interrupted coldly. “I didn’t realise Katy was a metaphor for the office. I gave Katy, not everyone else and certainly not you, permission.”
Tiffany paled. Aiden stood up and walked across the room as the entire floor watched, spellbound.
“Which house was causing issues?” he asked.
“The Christies. I’ve solved it; it needed gargoyles.”
“That would make the design perfect. Good catch,” Aiden said, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing.
“This is the third time this week you’ve come to my attention, and for not great reasons, Tiffany.” Aiden turned, and I watched as she paled even further. “I was disgusted by your opinions of homeless people yesterday. And now, this morning, you did indeed cause two guards to be fired. I gave you the benefit of the doubt then. However, this latest drama…”
“Katy started it; she came at me!” Tiffany exclaimed, looking around for support. Emily and Sami had both stepped back.
Aiden snorted. “I was present from the moment you said, and I quote, ‘you’re taking the mick’. Actually, you are. Katy doesn’t report to anyone but her manager and me. She’s head architect, and there’s a reason why with her talent. You work under Katy, not vice versa. Lately, Tiffany, your designs have been lacklustre, and two of them even came close to infringing on copyright. And your professional behaviour is, frankly, alarming and disturbing.”
I sucked my bottom lip in as Tiffany took a tongue lashing.
“Perhaps we ought to take this somewhere private,” Pepper suggested.
Aiden spun. “Why?”
“Because this is undignified and embarrassing for Tiffany,” Pepper replied.
“But it was okay to call Katy out in front of the entire staff?” Aiden challenged.
Pepper began spluttering.
“You forget who you work for. Well, maybe not for much longer. Mrs Ellison, ask Karen from HR to attend a meeting in my office. I have some staffing issues that need resolving. Pepper, head to conference room one and wait there until requested. Tiffany, conference room two, Sami, room three, and Emily, the lunchroom, please. I refuse to have bullying in my company,” Aiden stated.
“Mr Armstrong…” Tiffany pushed.
“No. Be quiet. And by the way, I gave Katy permission for an extra fifteen minutes on her lunch break. Why? Because I admire Katy’s kindness towards those less fortunate than her. Perhaps that’s something you might need soon, Tiffany. Feeding the homeless isn’t a waste of time, nor is sharing a kind word with them. People like you, shallow, insensitive, selfish, mean,and many other negative things, forget they are human with feelings,” Aiden said calmly.
Tiffany seemed as if she were going to pass out. Damn, Aiden hit hard. After the announcement, Aiden pivoted and stomped off. Silence fell, and then Tiffany let out a wail and rushed away.
“Someone finally got their just deserts,” a guy commented, and then slowly chatter picked up as people returned to work.
Anything else?
???
At half-past-six, I admitted defeat. Alex wasn’t coming. I began heading towards the car park, resigned. I hoped Alex was okay; it was raining, the typical English drizzle that chilled you to the bone. As I left, I saw a guy settling into a doorway for the evening. I pulled over, gave him Alex’s dinner, and drove home.
My apartment felt even smaller for some reason, and I couldn’t settle. Outside my warm home, Alex was sleeping rough, hungry and getting soaked. I paced back and forth as night fell and finally headed to bed with a book. But even then, I didn’t fall asleep for hours. When I did, food danced around in my head as if taunting me that Alex went hungry tonight. Alex was an adult, I knew that, but I couldn’t stand the thought of him needing a meal and not having one. Maybe I’d pushed too hard.
Katy - Sunday, ten days later.
