19. Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Echo
D r. Teresa Lynch was the head of the cardiac markers lab at GeneVerse. I respected her and had attended a few of her lectures. She was one of many colleagues to walk into my office after I resigned, demanding what the hell I was thinking. Martin had already told me where I could stuff my resignation—and was giving me the cold shoulder.
Dallas was upset. Like really upset. He told me to wait until I had another job lined up before I left. I agreed in theory, but in practice, I was tired of being called a charity case. I was a strong, independent, and capable woman—I didn't need any stinkin' favors.
"You and I are going out for a drink this evening," Teresa ordered.
I gaped at her. I didn't go out with people, and if I did, it was usually in a crowd, and I snuck away after the first half hour. It was my modus operandi for all social events, personal and professional.
"But—"
"I'm going to take you out for a drink, and you're going to let me convince you to stay at GeneVerse. Be ready to leave at six. I'll come and get you. And don't even think about not being here. I know where you live."
With that threat, the slender African-American woman with piercing eyes walked away.
Martin peeked into my office. "She's gonna cut you up into itty bitty pieces and feed 'em to the rats in her lab."
"You don't have to look quite so happy about it," I muttered.
Martin crossed his arms and leaned against my doorway. "I don't want to lose you. This lab isn't going to be the same without you. We need your expertise, your drive, and your intelligence."
Okay, so it felt really nice to hear him say that. This past week had been a revelation. People who I admired at work, who I didn't think even knew me, were trying to convince me to stay at GeneVerse. I, who had spent my life being invisible, hiding away, apparently had a fan base at work that I knew nothing about.
"Hey, Martin, Echo."
Dr. Jason Gerrard, another colleague of ours who worked on sickle cell anemia, greeted us.
"Hey. Jace, what's up?" Martin asked.
"I…I just heard that Echo resigned." Jason looked flustered.
He was a few years older than me, probably around Remi's age, and had always been nice to me.
"Yeah, she did. She doesn't even have a new job lined up. She's just being mean and abandoning us," Semu, another lab mate of mine who worked for Martin, called out as he passed by my office.
"Well…since you resigned, I was wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner with me Saturday night?" Jason smiled broadly.
Martin raised both eyebrows. "Are you asking my scientist out?"
"Yeah. If she isn't working here, I thought I should. I mean before anyone else does. Am I too late?" Jason looked around as if to see if there were men hiding in the lab waiting to proposition me.
"How many guys are waitin' around to ask Echo on a date?" Martin demanded.
Jason cleared his throat and looked sheepish. "Probably most of us, you know, the ones who are single. I don't know about any married guys."
"You're yankin' my chain, aren't ya?" I shook my head. Nerd humor !
Jason looked hurt. "No. I really want to take you out on Saturday. Your last day is Friday, right?"
"I don't understand." I really didn't.
"Well, GeneVerse has the whole no dating at work policy, so, you know as soon as we heard you resigned, I wanted to make sure I got ahead. Did I?" Jason asked eagerly.
I shook my head as if clearing out the cobwebs. Was Jason saying what I thought he was saying? There were guys around GeneVerse who wanted to ask me out?
Jason might be a scientist and wore glasses, but he was kinda cute with his floppy blonde hair and blue eyes. There was a Hugh Grant boyish charm to him. He was no Remi Drake, but then maybe I'd had enough of the bad boy in my bed and life because all that had left me with was a whole lot of hurt.
"You're the first," I mumbled.
"Great." Jason looked pleased with himself. "So, what do you say?"
"Can I think about it?"
"Sure. Can I have your phone number?"
"It's in the company directory. It's my personal mobile, so the number won't change after I leave," I told him, feeling very confused.
"Great. Great. Nice seeing you, Dr. Andersen. Echo, I'll text you so you have my number. I thought we could go to the planetarium and then have dinner. I heard you once say you like the…you know…universe stuff."
I smiled. "Thanks, Jason."
"Universe stuff? Really?" Martin rolled his eyes after Jason left. "Look what you've done. First, you leave my lab, and now I have to compete with a bunch of nerds after you."
I stiffened. "What?"
Martin winked at me. "If you resign, we'll have that talk. But I'm really hoping that between Teresa, Dallas, and a few others we've recruited, we'll convince you to stay."
I took a deep breath after Martin went back to his office.
My lips curved for the first time since that horrible night—and I smiled genuinely, feeling something else besides hurt and humiliation. People at work liked me. They wanted me to stay. And if I left, they wanted to date me.
When had this happened? And why was it that I was just finding out about it?
"I'll be honest, hon, we don't want you to leave. I know Dallas already offered a raise and all that, but you turned it down. So, what's it you want, girl?" Teresa ran a finger over the top of her wine glass absently.
I want to go back in time and not have sex with Remi Drake. I want to stop myself from going to Paint the Town Red that night when I heard him call me a fat bitch, a leech, and a charity case. I want someone to love me.
"I just think it's time for a change." I wore my plastic smile, the one that I learned to wear with social workers, well-meaning teachers, the Drakes, and Aunt Fern.
It was just after six on a breezy Tuesday evening, and we were at Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar, a cozy upscale bar nestled in the heart of downtown Memphis close to Remi's club.
The bar, with its intimate lighting and warm wooden accents, was both welcoming and exclusive. We sat at a small, round table near the expansive windows that offered a view of the bustling street outside.
Teresa took a contemplative sip of a Napa Chardonnay, its pale golden color catching the light.
I'd chosen a Riesling, crispy, slightly fruity—perfect for a warm day.
"You know Dallas and I are friends."
I nodded. I'd heard that.
"We were in university together," she continued as I took a sip of my wine. "He talks to me. You leaving has got to do with his kid?"
The wine went down the wrong pipe, and it took me a minute of coughing to get my breathing under control.
"Girl, that was some reaction." Teresa was amused.
I eased back into my chair and took another tentative sip. The wine was refreshing, with hints of green apple and a subtle minerality that made it interesting.
Before I could respond or ignore her comment, a server appeared to take our order. We opted for a charcuterie board—aged cheddar, prosciutto, spicy salami, and a smattering of nuts and dried fruits—as well as a plate of bruschetta topped with ripe tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic.
Once the server drifted away, Teresa's expression grew serious. "You can't let men control your career. Trust me, they're too stupid to be allowed to do that."
I was doing just that, wasn't I? I was leaving because I was upset with Remi and Lani. So, it wasn't just about a boy, so to speak.
"What exactly did Dallas tell you?" I asked finally, curious what he knew and how he knew it.
"That's between you and Dallas, or Dallas and Remi, or…what I mean is that it ain't between you and me. But what I do know is that Dallas's kids may have insinuated that he did you some big favor by hiring you, which is complete horse manure."
"My aunt was the housekeeper at the Drake estate. Dallas has always looked out for me." I stared down at the table, suddenly feeling tired of all the drama in my life. It seemed never-ending, this fight to find my place in society and figure out where and how I fit.
The server brought our food, and we got situated with napkins and silverware.
"I have to say, I think it would be a huge loss—for both you and the company." Teresa's tone was gentle yet firm.
I paused with the piece of bruschetta halfway to my mouth. "It's not an easy decision, Teresa. But, I have my pride."
Teresa nodded slowly, taking a sip of her chardonnay. "I understand that feeling. But let me be clear—we girls, especially girls of color, are fighting an uphill battle so we have to take every advantage we can get. Dallas wouldn't hire you unless you were good, and if he just wanted to be nice to you, he'd do with you what he did with Lani."
I wrinkled my nose.
"Exactly, that is a lack of pride. Not you. Your work on cervical cancer has not gone unnoticed, and there are big plans involving you."
I frowned, setting down my half-eaten bruschetta. "Big plans?" I echoed skeptically.
"Yes," she insisted. "We're pushing forward with new research initiatives, and we want you to lead some of these projects. Echo, you have a brilliant mind. You're a critical part of our team and our future."
"Do people at work think Dallas did me a favor?" I asked.
Teresa laughed. "Hell no! They think that he stole you. You could've gone anywhere. No, Echo, you are a catch. Now, I want to ask you some questions, and I want answers that are from your head and not your heart. Okay?"
I picked up my wine glass and waved a hand. "Proceed."
"You like working at GeneVerse?"
"Yes."
"You like your colleagues?"
"Yes."
"Your boss."
I smiled. "Yes."
"The work? What do you think of the work?"
"Amazing."
"I was at Baylor University for a while, and I'll tell you somethin', the whole writing grant proposals got old real fast. I just wanted to work in a lab that was funded. You have that. Don't give it up. You've been here a year; you have a lot to do. Don't let two spoiled rich white brats throw you off course."
I smiled at the two spoiled rich white brats remark .
"But I already resigned," I pointed out.
"Dallas didn't process it. We all decided to change your mind."
I'd never felt wanted, not like this, and my heart soared. Teresa was right, I shouldn't leave GeneVerse because Remi was an entitled ass. I'd worked hard to get here. I was in the middle of my research.
But I'd still be connected to him through his father. I didn't want that, ever again. Teresa was right; my head knew what was good and right for my career, but my heart was afraid of more pain, and rightfully so. It had been through so much in my twenty-six years. I wanted to be happy. I deserved it. My work made me happy.
"I'm going to think about it," I promised Teresa.
"Good enough. I'll reach back out to you on Wednesday. That enough time?"
"Wednesday is tomorrow," I scowled.
"So, it is." She grinned and waved to the waiter.
Teresa convinced me to try the red wine flight, a thoughtful selection of pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and a local syrah. Each glass was neatly lined up on a wooden paddle.
"I know a little bit about how you grew up." Teresa surprised me again.
"Dallas?"
She nodded. "He wasn't breaking any confidence, you understand? He's very impressed with you."
"Really? You don't think he just feels sorry for me?" I so desperately wanted to be liked for who I was and not my circumstances.
She put her hand on mine. "You're considered the future of GeneVerse. I don't feel sorry for you. Dallas and I are in awe of how much you've achieved despite your childhood. You're a remarkable woman."
"I hear you, but I don't feel it," I admitted, feeling wretched.
"What happens when I say you're a great scientist?" Teresa challenged me.
"What happens?"
"Inside your head? What do you hear?"
I licked my lips. " She's just being nice, so don't go about believin' it ."
"That's your inner critic."
I shrugged. "That's me telling myself not to get a big head."
"No, Echo. You think your inner critic is helping you stay humble; all it's doing is holding you back. Stop listening to those voices in your head, instead, ask your inner mentor what she would do."
"Inner mentor?"
Teresa grinned. "Your inner mentor is you years from now when you've achieved your goals. Or, it could be someone you look up to. Name a scientist you admire?"
I didn't have to think too hard. " Dr. Jennifer Doudna."
Dr. Doudna was a Nobel laureate and a co-inventor of CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary gene-editing technology that transformed the landscape of genetic research. She was also a professor at UC Berkeley, and I dreamed of working in her lab.
"Great choice. Would it surprise you if I told you that Jenn doubts herself all the time?"
I scoffed. "She's won a Nobel prize."
"And she still doubts herself; but she silences the inner critics so she can do the great work she does. How about I introduce you to her."
My mouth fell open, and I didn't care. "You know her?"
Teresa winked at me. "We broads in science know each other. How about it? Stay at GeneVerse, and I'll introduce you to your hero."
"That's the best kind of blackmail." I was so excited that I stood up and jumped.
Teresa laughed at me, and so did some of the others in the bar.
"Sorry, I just got some amazing news," I confessed sheepishly and sat back down. "You'll really introduce me to Dr. Doudna?"
"Yeah," Teresa promised. "And in return, I want you to think very hard about why you want to leave GeneVerse. If it's not a career-related reason, I want you to ask Dallas to delete your resignation. Deal?"
"Yes."
"You kids are so easy," Teresa said smugly.