From: Pacific Hills Management
To: All tenants
Subject: Power outage and BBQ party tonight
Dear valued tenants,
At 9 AM, due to extreme heat wave happening in Southern California, two utility poles for our neighborhood blew up, causing a blackout that includes our apartment complex. The electric company was notified and has been working on the issue. However, the transformers need to be replaced, and we were told that it could take a while for the power to be back up. So, if you have any meat in your fridge, please bring it over to the main clubhouse for our impromptu BBQ party. Better to share than let it spoil. Bring your favorite drinks. Management will provide salad, plates, plastic knives, and forks.
Further, for those who have medicines that have to be kept in a refrigerator or have baby food, please contact management so we can keep those in our office refrigerator that is maintained by a small generator.
Sincerely,
Lynette Reed
Leasing Manager Pacific Hills Apartment
“Oh, man!” I groaned, ducking my head between my hands at the unexpected email. “Why is this happening when I’m busy?”
This morning, Desiree was pushing us to finish our reports related to Myriad’s cash flow statement because the WW team wanted to see the last six months and the current month.
The delay in gathering data for the non-alcohol division was on me because Lena hadn’t taught me yet. Since submitting her two weeks’ notice, she hadn’t seemed to care about her job anymore, taken a few vacation days and only been in the office for five days out of her last two weeks. I was upset with her because Lena was very unprofessional, leaving burdens on me like that. Although she wanted to punish Rowena, I wished Lena would have been more considerate to me as her friend.
“Maybe I should text Peter to see if he can come back home to save the meat we bought last week,” I wondered, taking out my phone to send him a text.
Peter, I’m going to forward you an email from apartment management about the power outage. I wish I could go home earlier, but I can’t and will be home late. Is it possible for you to go back earlier and take the meat from the freezer up to the office?
At the same time, Rowena’s message popped up on my Skype.
Rory, come to my office!
I grunted silently. After closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths, I stood up and walked to Rowena’s office.
She was busy typing as I entered her office. Without saying anything, she signaled me to sit down. I took one of the empty chairs and waited. For ten minutes straight, I sat in Rowena’s office, watching her type. Didn’t she know I was busy too?
Finally, she stopped typing and let out a big sigh before looking at me.
“You’ve known Lena’s last day will be in two days for the past two weeks. I expected you to learn her tasks quickly,” Rowena said in her condescending tone. “I’ve checked the reserve analysis report, and you did it wrong. Redo it and give it to me by the end of the day because I need the report for my analysis.” And she turned to her screen and continued typing.
That’s it? After waiting for ten minutes? “OK,” I said, standing up to leave.
My phone rang at the same time that I closed Rowena’s door behind me. Her head jerked up, and she narrowed her eyes at me. I turned and walked toward my cubicle, looking at my phone’s screen to see who was calling.
“Hi, Peter,” I said in a low voice.
“Is this Rory?” an unfamiliar voice said.
“Yes, this is she. And who is this? How did you get Peter’s phone?” I asked, feeling panic rising in my chest.
“This is Mac Patterson, Peter’s coworker. Peter is in the hospital because of some stomach pain. And your name was marked as his contact person. Could you come to the hospital?” the man said.
“Oh, no,” I muttered, clenching my phone tighter. “Is he OK?”
“The doctor is with him now,”
“I see,” I nodded. Then I remembered something. “Uh, wait, are you sure Peter put my name as his emergency contact? Because I’m only his roommate,” I said, feeling confused. “Can you find Tom’s name in his phone?”
There was a pause.
“Sorry, Rory, there is no other name but yours. Could you come now?” Mac said.
I let out a breath, lifting my hand to scratch the back of my head as I pondered why Tom’s name wouldn’t be anywhere in Peter’s phone. “Uh, I’m—” The word ‘busy’ was already on the tip of my tongue, but I stopped. Peter needed me. “Yes, I’ll try. Please text me the hospital’s address.”
“I will.” Then he hung up and soon after, my phone buzzed with a text.
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach. Please meet me in the ER. Mac.
I rushed back into Rowena’s office. She was staring at her computer, munching a chocolate chip cookie. Her lips pouted as she looked up at me.
“Sorry, Rowena, I have an emergency. My roommate has just been rushed to the emergency room. There is no other family but me here. Can I leave now and work from home after that?” I said, maintaining my voice so as not to sound rushed.
“Why did your roommate call you? Doesn’t she have any other person to help?” asked Rowena, her eyes glittering with disbelief.
“Well, his coworker called me because I am his ECP,” I answered.
“His coworker?” Rowena’s voice rising and a mocking smile appeared on her face. “So, your roommate isn’t female, huh? Since when?”
“Can I leave now, please? It’s an emergency,” I said, controlling my tongue to keep from saying, “It’s none of your business!”
Rowena scoffed and flapped her hand. “Make sure you submit your work today,” she said coldly.
I gave her a nod and closed the door quietly. Arrgh, how I wanted to slam that door!
Yoo-Shi’s head popped up over my cubicle, and she whispered, “Is everything OK? Sorry, I saw you rushing back to Rowena’s office.”
“Peter is in the hospital, and my name was listed as his emergency contact, so I need to get to the hospital now,” I said, saving my work and then turning off my notebook.
“I hope he is OK,” Yoo-Shi said, giving me a sympathetic look while I tidied up some papers and piled them on the corner of my desk.
“I hope so,” I said, inserting my notebook in its bag. “See you tomorrow.”
I rushed downstairs and pushed the big door open just as someone yelled from behind me, “Hold the door, please!” My mind was on Peter, and it was too late for me to hold the door, anyway. I glanced over my shoulder. It was Lisa. For sure I would hear she’d complained about that tomorrow, but now, I didn’t care.