AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And how much time do you think you want to take?”
“Maybe two weeks, three at the most.”
“I need to ask this, but is there a specific person you’re having issues with?”
“No. I want the whispering to die down. If I’m not around for a little while, maybe they’ll forget about it. Time tends to do that.”
“Can you at least stay the rest of this week? I know you’re finishing some projects. I can deal directly with your subordinates, so you don’t have to, and Cindy can handle your job while you’re gone.”
“Is she going to be using my office?” I ask hesitatingly.
“Of course not. She can still do your job in her cubicle. Megan, is she the person you’re having an issue with?”
“No,” I insist. “I just don’t want people in my office while I’m gone.”
“And nobody will be. Megan, I understand you’re having issues, but you’re a strong person. Don’t let others tear you down because of their jealousy.”
“No offense, Naomi, but it’s easier said than done when you’re not in the position I am.”
“But I was once. The chatter behind your back is worse than a punch in the face. I’ve spent a good amount of my career surrounded by people who want to tear me down, but I’ve developed a thick skin over the years. I want to teach my daughter that all you have to answer to is yourself. Remember that.”
“I will. I appreciate your help.” Her assurance lifts some of the weight of my shoulders.
“How is CJ?” she asks, thankfully changing the subject.
“He’s well. And your daughter Chloe?”
She smiles. “She’s great. Walking and making my apartment look like a tornado hit it. I’ve just about given up trying to keep the place clean.”
I laugh because I’m sure in a few months I’ll have the same nightmare to deal with. I thank Naomi for her help and head to my office. I’m relieved that I only have a few more days to grind out before I’ll be able to relax at home with CJ. Maybe by the time I come back to work, the situation with Barrett will be resolved too.
I want to avoid any more altercations, so I stay in my office working on the lab data I need to compile. When five o'clock rolls around, I sit in my chair, waiting for the hallway to grow quiet. Several minutes after closing, it quiets down enough that I’m comfortable with preparing to leave.
I haven’t heard from Chase all day, and I need his support even if he told me to stay away because of Barrett. I feel beat up, and I want his comfort. Before I leave, I check my clock. He’s working until six and should be home shortly after that. I could go to Lexi’s to pick up CJ and be at his apartment by the time he arrives home.
The subway is crowded, and there’s barely standing room, which I hate when it’s summer. A man who was eyeing me up offers his seat to me, but I tell him he should give it to an elderly woman next to me, who is clutching a cane. She responds gratefully and smiles at me when she sits. Once again, my looks trump what is right. The man should have offered the seat to someone who needs it, not me.
When I get to Lexi’s, all three children are crying, and she looks like she needs a break. I take turns soothing Arabella and CJ, who are sitting on the floor and tossing some colored blocks. They calm down once I join them and start stacking them, imitating my actions. Once Lexi calms Johnny, the apartment finally becomes quiet.
“Thank God you got here,” she whispers so Johnny can’t overhear. “Johnny was running around and fell. Once he started screaming, the other two did. I think they were more scared than anything.”
I offer her a sympathetic smile. “I have some good news for you.”
“Another promotion?”
I almost wince at the words. “I’m taking some time off, so you’ll have a break from CJ for a few weeks.”
“Megan, is something wrong at work?”
I’m unable to look at her without bursting out into sobs. Worried the children would start again, I jump up and race to the kitchen. Shortly after I wipe my eyes with a towel, my sister takes me in her arms the way she used to when I was a child and held me tightly.
“What’s going on?” she asks comfortingly.
“Rumors,” I hiccup. “Rumors that I got my promotions because I slept with my bosses. Rumors about Chase and me. I just need a break. Today was horrible, and I still have the rest of the week to deal with.”
“How long are you taking off?”
I tell her about my exchange with Naomi, and I’m tempted to add in the news about Barrett, but I don’t. If I take a couple of weeks, then she’ll be safe and better off not knowing.
