Page 103 of I Hope This Finds You Well

The moment I log in for the day on Monday—before Caitlin or Armin are in, before I’ve even poured myself a coffee—an email from Greg pops up.Come see me now.

Shit. I peek toward Gregory’s office. His light is on, but his door is closed. He’sneverhere this early. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck rise; he must have been waiting for me to come in. I stare at the email for a solid minute, mind racing in all the wrong ways.

“You all right, Jolene?” asks Rhonda, who is standing up to wipe her desk trinkets with a sharply chemical-scented Lysol wipe.

I nod, broken from my trance. “Just haven’t had my coffee yet.”

Rhonda smiles and says, “Oh yes, the most important meal of the day,” as she wipes down the yellow Yankee candle she’s had on her desk for years but isn’t allowed to actually burn.

I make my way toward Gregory’s office; my legs are bags of sand. By the time I reach the doorway, my blood is made of pure cocaine and dread. I open the door, and Gregory is sitting at his desk tilting a Pepsi toward his mouth and licking his mustache. “Shut the door when you come in,” he says, casual as can be.

The hollow click as his door shuts stiffens every muscle in my body.

I take a seat without being asked, the alternative being standing until my knees buckle.

He stares for a moment, and I blink back at him in a silent standoff. Finally, he weaves his fingers together and speaks. But his words completely throw me: “What do you want?”

I stare at the crease between his eyes, the question not fully seeping into my brain.

“Is it money? Job security?” he continues.

I nod. Because... yeah?

“I can’t offer you a lot of money, but I can make sure you keep your job.”

“Uh” is all that comes out, because his words are the exact opposite of what I braced for.

He taps his fingers on his soda can. “You’re a lot more cunning than I imagined. But I suppose I’d do the same if I were you. I still can’t figure out how you found out about Sheila.” Then he holds up a hand, even though I haven’t tried to say anything. “No, wait. We shouldn’t go over any more details about my personal life.”

Relief hits like a fire hose. I nod a little too hard. Details are not my friend here.

Gregory’s chin juts upward. “It gets to be tough when you’re the boss—a lot tougher than people think. I have a target on my back, sure. But being extorted is a first—by an assistant, no less.” He gives me a coy grin.

I lean back in my seat and look around his office. Every object—the signed baseball in a glass case, the nail clippers on the desk, his special golden Supershops mug—compounds and lowers my spirit. On the wall behind him are framed awards, all meaningless, the kind designed by corporate to keep employees like him—like all of us—in line. It’s all so useless.

Yethe’sthe upper echelon of this office—and more broadly, the world.

For once, I’m able to stare at him longer than a few seconds without shuddering away. He holds himself proudly, his sausage fingers woven together confidently. Gregory’s below average in every facet one could evaluate a human on. He acts boastful and controlling, but really, he’s paranoid and insecure.

It’s so obvious now: people show most of who they are up front. It just takes someone to really watch.

So why can’t I take advantage of this man? He’s made so many assumptions that he basically extorted himself, and I’m just along for the ride. He’s used his sad sense of power to control everyone in this office for years. Just this once, I can control him.

“Could I be off probation? My job security guaranteed?” My voice is solid and clear.

Gregory’s jowls shake unpleasantly. “Unfortunately, you still haveto go through the motions. That HR guy takes his job far too seriously, so you’d be raising an alarm. But I assure you, even if he recommends your dismissal, you no longer have anything to worry about.”

My lips quirk. I can’t help it. Even if I fail now, I’m going to be okay.

Gregory smiles back, like we’re equals in this situation. “In fact, it was getting too hard to warrant, with your improved performance. I’m not sure what your secret is to getting the IEC forms completed so quickly or the innovative ideas you’ve had lately.” Gregory pauses, staring expectantly. I shrug and try not to shift my eyes. “In any event, we likely would’ve had to keep you, without all this trouble. Nevertheless, come layoff time, you won’t need to worry.”

My heartbeat skips. It’s official. After all of it, I get to stay.

It should be a relief. It should. But an odd feeling, like my arteries have switched directions, bubbles in me.

I don’t have to even be nice to them anymore.

A hollow spot opens in my chest. I swallow through it and stare at my new colluder.