Page 5 of Shades of Grey & Gold

“No, I quit, remember?” She looks down at Bart and the energy in the room changes, going from bright and silly to suddenly somber and serious.

I stop fumbling with my second shoe and tilt my head at her, frowning. “Becca…” I say her name slowly and she looks all around the foyer, avoiding my gaze. “You said you were applying for a job and didn’t like the studio, but not that you quit. What’s going on?”

She looks up and I see her eyes glistening. “You know how hard it is. This dumb communications degree gets me nowhere, no one cares about the degree, and I end up working for slightly above minimum wage at all these places, it’s hard, Max. I’m so sick ofthings being so hard. After the PR job at the hospital…” Her voice trails off, and I close the space between us, wrapping her in a hug.

After the hospital fire, Becca had never really landed again. She’d been in PR there, good at it too, until the building burned down and she was one of the last people out because she was trying to make sure everyone else made it out first. They kept her on as long as they could after, but trauma and unemployment are a terrible severance package.

“Becca, you do not have to remind me or talk about that, I know. I’m so sorry.” I take her shoulders in my hands and try to get her to look down at me. “What can I do? Do you want advice or just ears to listen?”

Her eyes meet mine, tears threatening to spill over the lids at any moment. “I need both, Max, I’m so lost. The landlord raised the rent, which is why I need the recommendation so badly and needed to be ready to start a new job ASAP—because I need the money.” She sighs and presses the heels of her hands into her eyes. “The job with the city pays well, more than the studio, but it’s still a temp position, 6 months, maybe a year. I have to figure out what I’m going to do long-term. I’m just not a planner like you.”

She steps off the bottom stair and falls into another hug. My heart aches for her. She hasn’t handled the trauma from the fire well and has jumped from position to position trying to find her place. Every time she finds something she thinks will be long-term, something happens to make it fall through. Or she quits, because the idea of working a dead-end job forever makes her want to puke.

“Let’s plan then, tonight, we can sit down and come up with a plan together. I’ll even leave the office right at 5 and grab Benny’s and we can do your recommendation, job hunt, all the things.” I rub her back with one hand and try to stop my mind from pre-planning for her before tonight.

“Okay, I can come back at five, especially for Benny’s mint chocolate chip.” She sniffs and Bart pushes between us, his tail wagging, lifting his nose against Becca’s leg. “Thanks, Bart, you’re the best friend a girl could have.”

I scoff and roll my eyes, releasing her from the hug. “Just come back whenever.” I grab my purse and fish for my keys, taking off the house key. “Here’s my new spare key,” I hand it to her and she takes it, but I don’t let go. “You know, since I had to replace the last one you lost.” I give her a grin, and she rolls her eyes with a smile.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll guard this one with my life.” She pulls the key from my hands and looks at Bart. “Let’s go eat, Bart, have a good day, milady.” She does some weird spin with a curtsy and walks off to the kitchen.

I love her to death, and without her my world would definitely be a lot greyer. I look at my phone and realize it’s still cracked.

“Shit,” I mumble as I pull the door open to head down the street.

I do have a car. It’s a cute, little crossover SUV. But the early fall air is perfect for a walk, and come winter, I will have no choice but to drive the car. It’s only half a mile from my house to the office on Main Street, and I pass the mailbox on my way, shaking my head at where it mocks me from the sidewalk. I consider all the ways it could go badly.

I push my thoughts away and see I’m already halfway down Main. There are plenty of cars on the road now and people walking on both sides of the street.

I glance up, happy to see the warm lights in the little bakery, Gabby’s, and two doors down, the Sellers & Courtney sign hangs from a dimly lit window. I sigh, debating whether I have time for coffee or if I need to just face all the to-dos since I am already running late.

I greet Deb at the front desk when I walk into the office.

“Hi, Maxine, you had a few calls this morning, I put the messages on your desk.”

“Thanks.”

When I started here, Carla let me choose where I wanted to sit. There was an open office upstairs, but I’ve never been one for working in a closed room. Two and a half years ago, the 3 offices upstairs and two desks in the back down here were filled with excited associate attorneys and other legal assistants, and a secretary or two, but they’re empty now. Most of those associates chose to move to Boston with Mr. Courtney a year ago. Carla splits her time between there and here.

I chose to set up my desk downstairs. It’s all exposed brick in here and the big front window makes it feel open.

I turn my attention to my laptop. It’s already 9:30, so my to-do list comes out of my purse next. I get to work on summarizing the things Carla wanted.

I am fully engrossed in the case laid out after making a few phone calls for more information and leaving messages, but my ears register the faint chime of the bell above the front door ringing.

“Good morning!” Carla’s singsong voice echoes through the high open ceilings of the office. I see her peek around the corner, like maybe I won’t be sitting here at my desk like I am every other day she checks.

I make a mental note to roll my eyes later. “Morning!” I say as cheerfully as I can manage. “How was the fundraiser last night?”

Carla walks further into the office. She wears a red pantsuit, with a paisley scarf and gold hoops. Her grey hair is fashionably styled and straightened around her face, her red lips pulled into a smile. She starts going on about the appetizers, gowns, and I nod along. Soon enough, ten minutes have passed. She gets a call and with a quick waggle of her fingers, she heads up to her office.

Deb walks over to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

“Building at the end of Main sold,” she says, craning toward the window to peer as far down the street as she can without smashing her face on the glass. “Millie says it’s some real estate office. Very fancy.”

I let her chatter wash over me while I finish my notes. By the time I look at the clock, it’s already eleven. I’ve already done all the work Carla asked for, so I feel mostly caught up.

I draft Becca’s recommendation and send it off, closing the laptop and deciding I’ll spend my lunch getting Becca a new planner as a pick-me-up.