Chapter 35
Justine didn’t know why she sensed a change between her and Xavier, as she couldn’t fault him for his attentiveness. But something seemed off with her boyfriend.
Her boyfriend.
Whenever she thought of him as her significant other, she felt warm and fuzzy inside.
“Justine, where are the specs on Anweiss Tech?” one of the project managers asked over the wall of her cubicle.
“What?”
He frowned. “The social media presentation for Anweiss Tech? We have a meeting on Monday to discuss our projections.” At her silence, he added, “Laura’s files should have had them listed as a priority.”
“Well, Nash,” she said with her super-friendly voice, “I still haven’t gotten through all of Laura’s files. I just finally got caught up on my own projects. Next, I have some emails and calls to return. Then I can get to Laura’s stuff.”
“That won’t work.” He shook his head. “We need to talk to Frank about this.”
“Yes, let’s.” She’d had her fill of her boss.
Every day he grew more obnoxious, asking her to stay later and later.
She’d gone back on her promise to herself to stop being weak and had stayed late Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Yesterday she’d worked through lunch but had gone home on time. Not early, on time.
But today, in addition to his earlier email about putting in time this weekend to help him finish an overview presentation for one of his new clients, with Nash’s attitude and Frank’s idiot thinking that Justine would be everyone’s assistant on everything, she’d hit her breaking point.
Xavier had been subtly mentioning every day for her to own her strengths and acknowledge she deserved better. And Kenzie’s business had offered her another client if she so desired.
Justine had a glimpse of what her future might hold. But she needed to reach out and grab it.
Or kick it squarely between its legs, for once.
She followed Nash down the hall to Frank’s office, where he sat getting chummy with his boss and two of his project managers. How the hell did any of them have time to drink coffee and trade jokes when she had to stay late to get her work done?
Nash knocked on the doorframe. “Hey, Frank. We need to talk to you about the Anweiss Tech meeting coming up.”
Frank’s companions joked as they left the office. “Oh, Frank. You’re in trouble now.”
He laughed them off and stood, looking handsome and smarmy as usual. The guy practically oozed incompetence.
Justine looked around his big office, seeing all he’d earned on other people’s backs. Hers especially.
“Frank, Justine hasn’t gotten me the files I need to get ready for Monday’s meeting with Anweiss. And I can’t figure out…”
She tuned him out while he continued to complain.
Is this what I want? To always be catering to someone else who will take all the credit? To continually stress out because I’m not putting myself first? Why the hell do I need Frank’s validation? Or anyone’s?
Her more practical side chimed in. Well, you do need the money. Your savings will only take you so far.
Yeah, but I’m my father’s daughter, my aunt’s niece. And I’ve been saving up forever. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to give me breathing room. Especially if I do a great job on Elder Care 4-U, the new client she’d picked up from Kenzie.
Justine’s heart raced. Could she do it? Should she?
Aunt Rosie would have told her boss to screw off months ago, even before Justine’s “promotion.” Her father would tell her to ride it out but make provisions to secure a better work environment while her mother would tell her to just get along and not make waves.
Xavier… He’d be practical yet supportive, as he’d been from day one. And then he’d tell her to take responsibility for herself because no one but her could make the decision for her future.
“Justine, are you even listening?” Frank sighed. “This has become a real problem, you know. You—”
“I quit.”
Frank and Nash stared.
“I’ve been underpaid for the past year. I work harder than anyone in your department.” The dam had burst and she couldn’t stop. “You use me all the time to help you on your work while taking away time to finish mine. So I work long days and nights and never get paid for it or comped time.”
“But—”
“I’m talking now,” she said over Frank. Nash just stared, his mouth open, and she continued on a full head of steam.
“You told me I’d be getting a raise, one I deserved.
Instead you gave me another job for no pay.
Yeah. No. Pay. And that’s…bullshit.” Her heart threatened to explode from her chest. “I’m done.
No more doing your work for you. No more doing work I’m not even getting paid to do.
Not even a thank you for everything I’ve done to help ‘the team.’” She scowled.
“So take my job and Laura’s job and your own and shove them up your ass. ”
She turned on her heel and flew back to her cubicle, where she dialed Katie. “I did it. I quit and told Frank to shove it up his ass.”
“Holy shit! I’ll be right down.”
Justine hastily packed up her things, using an empty cardboard box from the supply room. She didn’t have much. A plant, a few sketch pads, some watercolors she’d brought from home.
“Justine, I don’t think you’ve thought this through,” Frank said as he came to her cubicle, walking gingerly, as if expecting a bomb to detonate.
She ignored him.
Katie arrived with a huge grin. “Finally!” She turned to Frank. “You’ve used my buddy for the last time, bucko.”
Breaking into hysterical laughter would make her look doofy, so Justine kept her mouth shut and continued to pack. A small glance at Frank showed him looking ill.
“Justine, I think you’re just under a great deal of stress.”
“Ya think?” Katie snarled. “You shoved Laura’s work on Justine instead of hiring a new employee. And you stiffed her on the raise you said you were giving her.” Katie’s voice continued to rise, and a small crowd gathered around them.
“That’s not true,” Frank huffed. “We’re downsizing, and I—”
“Got a new admin assistant,” Justine had to say.
She turned to glare at him. “You have a big office with plenty of time to sit around and chitchat while I stay until seven or eight just trying to get through my day. You have used and abused this employee. I’m reporting all this to HR too.
I don’t give a damn if they don’t care. I do, and I’m tired of not being appreciated for all I do for this company.
” She said over him, “And to all of you who I’ve helped for months on end, you’re fucking welcome! ”
She grabbed her box and her purse. Katie grabbed her plant. She headed straight for the door, glad Frank had moved and the crowd had parted because she would have walked right through them out of the building.
Once at her car, after stowing her things, she turned to Katie, still not believing she’d done it. “I quit. I cursed. I’m done here.”
Katie pumped her fists in the air. “Fuck, yeah.” She glanced at a beep on her phone. “Shoot. I have to get back for a meeting and tie things up. Then I’m quitting too!”
“No, you like your job.” I quit. Oh my God. I quit.
“Not really. I just like it a lot more—but still less—with my new boss. But the work isn’t challenging, and I’m tired of having to fit myself into the corporate mentality.
Did you know Kenzie wears jeans to work?
Sometimes shorts? And Rachel and Lila take turns getting energy smoothies and donuts whenever they want and start their days whenever they want. ”
“Huh?”
“You remember, Kenzie and her coworkers, who work out of Kenzie’s basement? That’s such a terrific office! So what are we going to name our company?”
“Huh?”
“You said that already.” Katie snickered. “I can’t wait to go back in there and see how Frank handles his job without you to keep him going. Talk to you later. Drive safe.” Katie hugged her then darted back inside the building.
The entire way home, Justine kept flashing back to telling Frank off, and it was the absolute best feeling. Up there even with sex with Xavier. She felt euphoric, excited, and nauseated all at once.
As she parked her car, she got a phone call.
“Aunt Rosie?”
“Hey there, my favorite niece. I hear there might be wedding bells in your future.”
“Not exactly, but I did just tell my boss to kiss my ass.”
“Oh, ho! Then we do have something to really celebrate. Take me through it, play by play. This sounds juicy.”
“It was. It soooo was.”