Page 6 of Marrying My Orc Boss
“Things like this can pull a company under and every one of us with it,” I say.
It’s then that Janice bursts into tears. “It’s awful. We’re all going to lose our jobs, aren’t we?”
Oops, maybe I should have played that one a bit lighter.
“No, no, I won’t let that happen,” I reassure her.
“I’ve got a sick mother to look after and seven cats,” Janice says with a few uncontrollable snorts.
“Trust me, that’s not going to happen. In fact, you’re going to help me make sure that doesn’t happen,” I tell her.
Janice looks up at me and wipes the tears from her eyes and the snot from her nose.
“Me? What can I do?”
“I need you to take this file and go through it with a fine-tooth comb. List every person who was involved in the process, as well as their role and responsibilities. Then I want you to find out all the things that could possibly turn a person green,” I explain.
“It’s like I’m a detective?” Janice says with a big smile.
“That’s exactly what I need you to be,” I reply.
“How exciting! I can’t wait to tell Mother. She loves nothing better than one of those whodunit movies. She always figures it out. I prefer action movies myself. Oh, but maybe I have that skill as well, and I just don’t know it,” Janice says.
“Great, let’s see if you're the new Sherlock Holmes!” I tell her.
“Who?” Janice asks.
“Never mind. Now, I have to face the press. How do I look?” I ask, fixing my tie and tucking in my shirt.
“Like a CEO who has everything under control,” she replies.
“That, Janice, is just what I need to hear right now,” I tell her as I stride out my office door with a confidence I know will get me through this.
CHAPTER 3
Sally
Itake a moment as I step into the cold night air. I find a quiet spot where passersby can’t see me and take the time to let the tears dry themselves out. My mind is racing with thoughts of Dad, but also with the cost of the operation. I don’t know how I’m going to figure it out but one thing is obvious to me. No matter what the cost, it is worth it to have my Dad around as long as I can.
As I steady myself against the wall, I realize the time. I wish I were home, my real home, Mom’s and Dad's. In my mind’s eye, it’s Saturday night, the best night of all. Dad’s off work, and he’s making me tuna sandwiches with a side of potato chips. I’m allowed to stay up late. Mom and Dad are on the couch, and I am on the floor in front of the TV.
My mom and dad laugh, and I laugh as well, even if I don’t understand the joke on the TV show they are laughing at. It feels good, all three of us laughing together. I remember thinking that I wished all this would last forever and that I would never grow up. Never leave the warmth and comfort of my home.
A car horn snaps me back into the world where everything has gone wrong, and I realize I’m late for my second job. I quickly turn and walk into a man wearing a dark suit carrying a brown briefcase.
“Careful, lady,” he snaps at me.
“I’m so sorry,” I tell him, but I see only anger in his eyes.
“Instead of being sorry, why don’t you watch where you’re going? Then you wouldn’t have to say sorry all the time,” he hisses.
I want to cry again, but instead, I push past him, knocking him off balance. I take pleasure watching him trying not to fall on the pavement, waving his stupid briefcase in the air.
“Sorry!” I shout to him as I hurry up the street to the parking lot and the ever-faithful Matilda, who is waiting for me.
I settle into my car and say my usual prayer for Matilda to start, and the old girl does. I whizz out of the hospital lot, trying to catch up with the time I’ve now lost.
Thankfully, there’s a parking space outside the restaurant. I squeeze Matilda into it and rustle in the back seat to grab my server’s apron and hair band. Damn, the restaurant is busy. That’s all I need, I think as I jump out of the car.