Page 76 of Sizzle
“You’re welcome. What the hell is going on, Joelle?”
“I’m… I’m just trying to say thanks. And I need to tell you that… that I won’t be coming back. Today’s my last day.”
I rub my eyes. Maybe I’ve hallucinated the last six hours, because what she’s telling me does not compute.
“I’m not following.”
“There’s nothing to follow,” she says, looking pained. “I think it’s best I bow out now before I make things worse. So thank you for the—”
“Knock it off. You’re serious right now? Seriously quitting.”
Joelle lifts her chin, giving me one brief nod.
“What happened to six months?” I ask, grasping at the first straw that comes to mind. “You said you need six months experience to get into the school you want to go to.”
“I’ve been here almost two months. I’ll get the other four months’ experience somewhere.”
Somewhere else, she means.
“Is this about what happened yesterday? Did somebody give you a hard time? Because Bertie—”
“Elliot, please,” she says, blushing. “Just let it go. There’s no need to rehash it. You don’t need me here anymore. The menu is set and from what I hear, it’s working out well. That’s what you hired me for. The rest was all on me.”
“Not the way I see it.” I step forward, crowding her. “You’re chickening out.”
It’s true. I see it, right before she looks away again.
“It was foolish to think we could make this work.”
“So you’re not just quitting, you’re dumping me too. Is that it?”
She’s got tears in her eyes now. I want to ram my first through the wall at the sight of them but in the next moment, all the noise in my head goes quiet. Not even static. Dead silence.
It’s almost a relief.
“Can you tell me why, at least? You owe me that much.” She doesn’t owe me shit, but I’m inclined to be selfish at the moment.
One tear rolls down her cheek, but I don’t care.
I can’t. Not anymore.
“You and Alex,” she whispers. “You’re better off without me.”
“So you’re dumping him, too.” I sit down in the office chair. “You planning to tell him so yourself?”
Joelle swipes at the tears on her face.
“I’m sorry, Elliot. For whatever it’s worth.”
I don’t answer, staring at the black computer screen on my desk. The next time I look up, she’s gone.
I have no idea how much time passes while I sit there staring at the space she had just been standing in. There’s a Joelle-shaped hole in my office.
The noise in my head comes rushing back with a vengeance and I have to get. The fuck. Out.
I have to move. I have to do something. I have to get out of here before I burn the place to the ground.
I swipe open my contacts, dialing Anna. She agrees to come in early and take over for the night. Thirty minutes later, I’m leaving Duckbill. Joelle is long gone. And I’m beginning to think I am too.