Friday morning Macy stood at her dingy kitchen counter and took several deep breaths, fighting the mounting tension in her neck. She hadn’t slept much. How could she? Her life was a bundle of loose ends waiting to be straightened out. If she could get the promotion, then maybe she could convince her mother that sending her brother to college wasn’t going to be a colossal financial burden. Especially if they could talk Brian into applying for some scholarships and stopped putting all his faith into getting a full ride from Maryland to play football. And maybe, she and Gayle could move into a decent place. One where the paint wasn’t peeling, the floor tiles weren’t loose, and the HVAC system worked when you needed it.
Her blue and white floral dress was a simple shift with a handkerchief hem. Understated compared to her dress yesterday, and it wouldn’t draw any unnecessary attention. Proper for casual Friday, and her feet were thankful for the lower heels.
She scrolled through her phone and found her favorite horoscope site. Sure horoscopes were silly, but there was a connection between the stars, the planets, and her mood. Hadn’t her horoscope told her that her last boyfriend was a jerk, who she couldn’t trust? Then there was the time it predicted Hurricane Sandy would hit the Jersey shore before she made the deposit on her vacation. And last week her horoscope said she’d have a surprise and then she found a twenty-dollar bill in the bottom of her purse. Sure most days the post meant nothing to her, but why take a chance? So, what did today offer?
Today your interactions with others will be warm, friendly, and congenial. Any sort of get-together you attend will benefit you. Something romantic looms for the weekend.
How could she be discouraged with such great news? All she needed to do was adjust her attitude to match the stars, and everything would work out fine. She read the words again and nodded her head. For the next few weeks everything needed to work like a precision watch. The contract negotiations, the audit, her brother’s scholarship search. She exhaled through her mouth. She’d be extra chipper at work today.
Gayle paddled into the kitchen. Her hair was tossed and knotted, her mascara had smudged around her eyes into black circles.
“Is that the dress you wore to the party last night?”
Gayle glanced down at the wrinkled silk and nodded.
“Hard night, huh?” Macy said.
“I had a blast. Too bad you missed it.” Gayle opened the refrigerator and pulled out the metal tin containing her special blend of coffee, her breakfast of champions. “Aren’t you late for work?”
“This contract was supposed to be on the customer’s desk today. But the courier was closed last night.” She patted the envelope lying on the counter. “So, I’m going to stop by there this morning and talk to someone in person. Roxy will rage when she finds it hasn’t arrived in Virginia as expected. And the new lawyer will probably help her.” She paused for a second.
“Why not use one of the national couriers? Roxy doesn’t have to know, and if you pay for it using your own money, she doesn’t have to know anything, except you kept your promise and you can stop worrying.”
“I wish it were as easy as that, but there are two things wrong with your proposal. First, it’s against company policy. The purchasing department selects all outside vendors, so I can’t just go to another company. Roxy has insisted on Pipeline Delivery. I think there’s a family connection or somebody blackmailed her into using them. With the luck I’ve been having, I could be fired for using an unapproved carrier. And I don’t have any extra money to pay for special deliveries.”
“Sounds like you could be fired for breathing over there.” Gayle found the coffee press in the cabinet. “Either way, I think by the end of today, you might end up looking like me this morning.”
“That’s just what I needed. A reminder of how tenuous my job can be.” The knot in her stomach doubled. “I’d better get going.” She shoved the contract in her backpack, grabbed her purse and headed out.
By the time Macy eased into the English office building her confidence was not at the top of her game, but it was closer. With her backpack gripped in her hand, she made her way to her office on the third floor. A few minutes to catch her breath and pull together a story before anyone drilled her with questions and she’d be fine. The contract was going to arrive late, with only a one-day delay. Any good Sales manager could smooth over a one-day delay.
Right?
In her office, she closed the door and flopped into the chair behind her desk. Everything was going to be just fine. She took several short breaths until the churning in her stomach eased.
She looped a curl around her finger and gazed at the top of her desk. The sooner she told Roxy the contract was late the sooner she could get her ass chewed out and move on. But her feet refused to cooperate. Her body remained still except for the rapid breaths she continued to take.
The knock on her door cracked her quiet bubble. “Yes.”
Her assistant stepped in. “I didn’t hear you come in.” Michelle’s eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine.” Macy sat up straighter, smoothing down the front of her dress. “Michelle, the audit begins soon. I’ve gone through some accounts, but I need you to pull the paperwork on my selling expense account. With all the activity to get ready for the Dragon negotiations it’s going to have the most activity. I don’t want any surprises.”
“I usually just check everything. Leave that to me. Okay?” Michelle said.
“No, the yearly audit is much more detailed. I’ll need to review the accounts and sign off on them. Pull the documents, label them and have them on my desk early next week.”
Michelle rubbed the side of her nose and glanced down, before looking back to Macy. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look like you’ve eaten something rotten.”
Macy nodded. “Give me a few minutes.”
“Well, you might be able to have a minute, but the new legal guy wants to meet with you this morning. I told him you get in at nine, and he’s already been by here twice,” Michelle said. I think he’s a type A personality. Like we needed another one of those around here, right?”
“Thanks, Michelle. I’ll handle him. I had an errand to run this morning, so I was in a rush.” She reached for her purse. “I’ll just go to the restroom and finish applying my make-up and fluff my hair. Then you can tell Avery I’ll see him.”
“Sure thing.” Michelle turned around and walked out the door. She stuck her head back inside. “No luck. He’s coming down the hall now,” she said before disappearing.
Macy closed her eyes for a moment and squared her shoulders.
He rapped on the door and walked in.
She stood. “Come on in. Have a seat.”
“I’ve been waiting for you. Do you usually get into the office so late?” He pushed up his cuff and examined his expensive watch.
“It’s only ten and no. I had to make a stop before coming into the office this morning. But, I don’t think your new responsibilities include monitoring my activities.”
He smirked. “I can assure you I have plenty to keep me busy. I was only checking to make sure the Bunting contract made it there this morning.”
She cleared her throat. “The courier was closed last night when I arrived. I dropped the contract off this morning, as soon as they opened.” Her words jammed together.
He bent his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. She could almost see the anger spilling from his pores.
“Look.” She cleared her throat. “I’ll handle this. It’s not your problem.”
He shook his head.
“I will call Mr. Bunting personally. I’ll explain the situation and let him know the delay couldn’t be helped. I’ve worked on this account for over two years. I don’t think it’s going be that big of a problem.”
Avery towered over her desk making her feel even smaller. With her shoulders pushed back she mustered as much attitude as she could.
“I’m only saying this is not the way to start the contract negotiating season. That’s all.” His tone softened.
“This was an unfortunate incident.”
“Can I make some calls?”
“No. I’ll handle it.”
A stiff silence blanketed the room. Avery’s first day in the office and already he wanted to help her do her job. Did he think she was incapable? They weren’t off to a good start.
“I must inform Roxy of what is going on,” he said.
“No, no,” she said. “I’ll tell her.”
He gave her a long stare. She held his gaze before he turned and walked out.
She grabbed the sides of the desk for balance. This had to be the moment when someone at work was going to be frustrated. Roxy expected results. The last thing she wanted was for her staff to come to her with every little issue that came up. But if Avery ran to her office to tell her about the Bunting contract before she did, then everyone was going to be unhappy.
Roxy’s door was open. Macy stuck her head inside. “You got a minute?”
“Yes.” Roxy waved her in.
Macy sat across the desk from Roxy. “I wanted to let you know the courier was closed last night when I arrived. For some reason they closed ten minutes earlier than what’s posted on their website.”
Roxy’s jaw dropped. She stared at Macy as if her words required translation. “It was supposed to be there today, right?”
“Yes.” Macy moved to the edge of her chair. Her heart pounded. “I dropped the contract off this morning at the courier and impressed how important it was to get there tomorrow. I’ll call Will Bunting this morning, explain what happened and ask him to work with us.”
“His committee was quiet clear they wanted all proposals to arrive no later than close of business tomorrow. You’re not leaving yourself any extra room. I don’t understand what you can say to him to smooth this over.” Roxy pushed her fingers through her hair and off her face.
“I’m trying to fix this. I’m not sure why the courier would close early.”
“This is not about the courier, Macy. Don’t try to shift the blame, it won’t fix the problem. You’re the Sales manager. No matter what happens these negotiations are your responsibility. If you lose this contract I’m not going to lower your sales objectives this year. You’re going to have to find a way to make up that revenue.” She placed her palms on the desk, her nostrils flared. “I’m not sure what to say. We are all under a lot of stress, I’m expecting everyone to sd their share.
“Of course. We’re in agreement. I’m taking full responsibility.” Macy stood.
Roxy snorted. “You have to.”