33. Fired. Not Fired.
Rylee
The 8 a.m. message from Jake this morning was a little ominous. He asked everyone to meet at Porter’s ASAP. When Jake says ASAP, it doesn’t mean as soon as possible. It’s more like get your ass here now. My luck, he’s telling everyone he sold the bar and we’re all fired. Becoming a jobless pregnant single mom is not a good way to start my day.
I park my SUV between Nora and Dessa’s vehicles. As I approach the door, something crunches under my shoe. Glancing down, the sidewalk shimmers from the sunlight like tiny pieces of glass. Oh shit! That is glass. My gaze shoots up and I’m met with a plywood covered window, glass littered walkway, and a propped open spider web cracked door. My jaw hits the ground. On my tiptoes, I cautiously step through the doorway and into the eerily quiet bar.
My gaze flits around the area, inspecting for any other damage. I find Dessa, Nora, Jake, and a few other employees huddled at the far end of the bar. A somber tone fills the atmosphere. “What happened?”
“Once everyone's here, I’ll explain, so I only have to say this once,” Jake says.
His normally perfect comb over fade is disheveled as if he’s been running his hand through it. Based on the state of his bar, I’m sure that’s exactly what he’s been doing. I find an empty stool next to Nora and plop down.
“Uh, did you know you have some broken glass out front?” Lach strolls in, hiking his thumb behind him.
“Thanks asshole. I didn’t see it there. Take a seat.” Jake nods to the stool in front of him.
After Lach sits, we wait around for another ten minutes for Chad to arrive, but it’s crickets.
“Fuck it. I’ll deal with Chad later.” Jake exhales a sigh. “If you can’t tell, there was a break in last night or this morning. They stole some bottles of liquor. They tried to break into the safe but weren’t successful. Something must have spooked them because they were out before the cops arrived.”
We all gasp and sit up straighter on our stools. Over the four years I’ve worked at Porter’s, nothing like this has ever happened. Not to say it can’t. This wasn’t a place I ever felt unsafe. Plus, Jake has lived here his entire life. Lived in this bar his whole adult life. Everyone knows him or knows of him. He’s the last guy you want to mess with.
“Did the cameras catch anything?” Lach asks.
“Nothing that’s identifiable.” Jake rests both palms on the bar, his gaze cast downward. “Whoever it was seemed to have dodged the cameras. All I have are photos of the back of their head.” He pushes off the bar until he’s standing straight. “Be on alert, especially for anything suspicious. No one is to be here by themselves. Kind of a rule I’ve always had, but it’s worth repeating. We’ll be closed for the next day or two until shit is replaced. That’s all.” He raps his knuckles on the bar. “Rylee. Can I see you in my office?” He jerks his head and strides around the corner.
Dessa leaps out of her seat. “Jake! Don’t fire her! It was me. I ate all the beef sticks. Not pregnant Rylee.”
“You’re a vegetarian,” Jake yells from down the hall.
“Shit.” She shrugs. “Sorry. I tried.”
“Thanks.” I brush my hand on her shoulder as I pass.
My footfalls echo down the hallway in time with the thumping of my heart. Everyone's not getting fired, only me. That’s the only logical reason he’d call me to his office. Is he mad about the meat sticks? Son of a bitch. They were so good. Maybe he’ll understand that the baby was craving them. Not me. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans before peeking my head through the opening. Without saying a word, Jake waves me in.
“I’m sorry. I’ll pay you back for the meat sticks. The baby likes meat. I’m blaming Trey.”
“This isn’t about the meat sticks. Take a seat.” He nods to the chair opposite of him. He rests his elbows on the desk and steeples his fingers together. “Have you decided when you’ll be taking your maternity leave? Just so I can prepare and figure out everyone’s schedule.”
So not fired… “In about a month and a half.”
He nods. “Okay. Great. Also, I want to say you’ve been doing a great job. Especially with taking over the inventory and ordering. I would like to offer you a bar manager position.”
All the tension evaporates from my body. I huff out a laugh. “Oh. Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. Honestly, I thought you were firing me.”
“You’re my best employee. I will do whatever it takes to keep you here.” Jake drums his fingers on the desk as I strand of sandy brown hair flops over his forehead.
I swallow down the lump in my throat. It’s been one hell of an emotional rollercoaster over the past five minutes. Fired. Not Fired. Promoted. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Just tell me you’ll take it. As far as your schedule goes, whatever time you need off or whatever appointments you need to go to, I’ll make it work. Since heavy lifting is off limits, either Lach or I will be here for delivery days to move all the boxes.”
I nod, soaking in everything he’s telling me. With the baby coming, I’ll need all the money I can get. “Can you give me a couple of days to think about it?”
“Of course. Take all the time you need. But not too long.” He flashes me a half-smile, but in terms of Jake smiles, that’s equivalent to a full-blown toothy grin.
“Thanks, Jake.” I rise to my feet and stop before I leave. I press my lips together. “About the break in… some time ago, there was a truck that followed me after I left work. It was only a couple of miles, so maybe it was a coincidence, but I wanted to say something, especially now.”
“Wait.” Jake taps away on the keyboard and twists his monitor to face me. “It’s only a partial view, but does that look familiar?”
Leaning in, I study the grainy black and white photo and there’s one thing that jumps out at me. “It’s missing the side mirror. The truck that followed me was missing one, too.”
“Do you know who owns it?”
I shake my head. “No. I don’t.” I blink. “Oh wait. I was with Trey and I saw a truck that looked familiar.” I tap my finger to my lips, racking my brain for the name he told me. “Wilcox. Henry Wilcox. But I’m not one hundred percent if the truck I saw with Trey is the same one that followed me out of here.”
“Alright. I’ll let the police know. Stay alert and keep everything on the down low.”
“Okay. Will do.” I stroll through the doorway and down the hallway. The truck and the break in are at the forefront of my thoughts. Are the two related? Or a coincidence? I chew on my thumb nail thinking back to the night leaving the parking lot.
When I step out into the bar, Dessa perks up and jumps off her stool and wraps her arms around my shoulders, catching me by surprise. “Oh my god. Jake fired you. The frown on your face says it all.” She squeezes me again before yelling over my shoulder, “Jake! I quit!” She leans closer. “We don’t need this place. We’ll find something else. Something better.”
“Jake didn’t fire me.”
She frowns. “Then why do you look so sad?”
I keep the talk about the truck to myself. “Because he gave me a promotion.”
“So, you’re not fired?”
“No.”
She leans past me again. “Jake! Just kidding! I love working here!” Her attention focuses back on me. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you. When do you start?”
“Thanks. I haven’t agreed yet though.”
“You’re taking it, right?”
“Yeah. I just want Jake to sweat it out for a bit.” A smirk covers my lips.
“This is why we’re best friends.” She wraps me in another hug. “Since we have the rest of the day off, want to go get breakfast? My treat.”
“Thanks, but Kyle is coming to pick up Abby tonight, so I want to run some errands before Trey comes over.” I’ve been craving a night alone with Trey. I forgot how difficult it is to carve out alone time when you have a kid. Now with another on the way, we want to take every moment available to spend together.
“I get it. You two will be stuffing the turkey. Enjoy it. I’m not jealous one bit.” She rests a hand on her hip. “Of the sex. Not Trey.”
“Got it.” I laugh.
* * *
I spent the rest of the morning grocery shopping and in the afternoon, I cleaned the apartment. With only a few minutes to spare, I grabbed a backpack and swiftly packed an overnight bag for Abby, ensuring she had everything she would need for the night.
The intercom for my apartment buzzes. Since Trey texted me he was coming, I knew it was him and let him inside. While I haven’t been able to get him a copy of the main door key, I gave him one of my extras for my apartment.
Before he’s two steps through the doorway, Abby jumps off the couch and barrels toward him. “Squirrel!”
He bends down and wraps his arms around her. “How’s my chipmunk?”
“Good. Come see the picture I drew at school today.” She grabs his hand and tugs him toward her room.
As he passes me, he leans over and places a quick kiss on my lips. “I’ll be back for more of those.” Abby yanks on his arm and he jerks away. Both of them are absolutely adorable.
While Abby is busy showing him anything and everything, I prepare dinner. When it’s finished, I stroll to Abby’s room. Trey’s on the floor next to Abby looking like they’re besties for life. I’m sure the matching tattoos will come next. The floor is a chaotic mess of papers and markers scattered haphazardly. “Dinner’s ready. Then you’ll need to clean this up before your dad picks you up.”
Abby climbs to her feet. She trudges past me, a full blown pout covering her face. I run my hand over the top of her head, brushing away her chestnut brown hair.
At the table, I sit at the end while Abby and Trey sit on either side of me. I scoop a spoon full of peas and dump it on her plate. With her head resting in her hand, she shoves a pea around her plate.
“Abby. Eat your dinner.” She stabs at a piece of chicken but doesn’t eat it. I drop my fork onto my plate. “What’s wrong?”
Her bottom lip juts out. “I want to stay here.”
“You don’t want to stay with your dad tonight?”
“No,” she pouts. Her gaze is fixed on a pea on her plate.
“Abby, look at me.” She lifts her head. Her normally bright hazel eyes appear colorless. “Why not? He’s renting the new princess movie for you tonight.”
“I don’t want to watch it.”
“Abby. You’ve been talking about that movie for weeks. Why don’t you want to watch it now?” The pea flies off her plate and rolls across the table. I reach over, resting my hand on hers. “Why don’t you want to go?”
She drops her fork on her plate. The clatter echoes through the apartment. “I want to stay here with you and Squirrel. I don’t want to go to Dad’s. It’s not fun. He doesn’t play with me. He’s always busy.”
“He wants to spend time with you,” I reassure her.
“I don’t want to go.” She pushes away from the table and runs across the kitchen to her room.
I turn to Trey. “I’m sorry. She’s never done this before. I’ll be right back.” I walk to Abby’s room to find her face down on the bed, her face buried in a pillow. The bed dips as I sit on the edge. “Abby. What’s wrong?” I run my hand over her shoulder blades.
She mumbles into her pillow.
“Sit up.”
She rolls over. Her cheeks are red and tear stained. “I don’t want to go. Dad always works when I’m with him and it’s boring. I hate it there. I want to stay here with you and Squirrel. You two always play with me.” Her big hazel eyes meet mine. “Do I have to go?”
My heart breaks. If she’s this distraught about going, I won’t force her. I brush a thumb over her cheek, wiping away the tears. “No. You don’t have to go. But can you finish your dinner?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Then can you clean your room?”
She sniffles and nods her head.
I wrap her small body in my arms. “I love you forever.”
“I love you always,” she mumbles into my shirt.
When I return to the kitchen, Trey’s filling the sink with soapy water and scooping leftovers into containers. I lean my butt against the counter next to him. “Sorry. Our alone night for two just turned into three.”
He snaps the lid closed on a container. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. I love spending time with both my girls.”
My lips pull into a small smile. Even in moments like this, he knows the perfect thing to say. “I guess she’s still upset that Kyle spends his time working when he’s supposed to be spending it with her. I can’t blame her. That’s shitty of him to do. I can’t force her to go if she doesn’t want to, right?”
“It’s the right call on not forcing her.” Trey dries his hands on a towel before wrapping me in a hug.
I bury my face into his chest, needing all the comfort I can get. “Parenting is never easy.”
“Abby is lucky to have you as her mom.” He presses his lips to my forehead.
I huff out an exasperated breath. “I guess I should call Kyle and let him know not to come.” Reluctantly, I pull away from Trey’s warmth and snatch my phone off the counter. With heavy steps, I make my way into the living room, dreading the phone call I’m about to make. Somehow Kyle will spin it to make it about him because he always does. Blowing out a breath, I pull up his number and press call. After four rings, he finally picks up. “Hey Kyle, just wanted to let you know you don’t have to pick up Abby tonight.”
“But it’s my day with her. I cleared my schedule for this and now she’s not coming over?”
Done with his bullshit, I get straight to the point. “She says all you do is work.”
“I have shit I have to do, Rylee.”
“Apparently, spending time with your daughter isn’t one of them.”
“I can’t ignore important work calls.” He grumbles something I can’t hear. “I’m doing the best I can. I can’t just drop my entire life.”
I roll my eyes. If I could reach through the phone and strangle him, I would. “It’s called being a parent, Kyle. Sometimes you have to make those sacrifices. I just want to let you know not to bother picking her up.” If I was a betting person, I’d placed a million dollars on the only reason he wants to see her tonight is because if he doesn’t spend so many days a month with her, he has to pay more in child support. When it involves anyone else, Kyle is the epitome of stinginess.
“You’re just going to let a six-year-old do whatever she wants?”
I bite my tongue, wanting to keep my tone as neutral as possible. “I will not force her if she doesn’t want to go,” I say through gritted teeth.
“None of this was like this until you started dating him.”
“Trey?” My fingers clench around my phone. I’m surprised it doesn’t snap in half.
“Yeah.”
I turn around so I’m facing away from the kitchen and lower my tone. I don’t need Abby listening. Who am I kidding? She’s six. She hears everything. “This has absolutely nothing to do with Trey, so keep his name out of your mouth,” I sneer.
He scoffs. “Brainwashed. Both of you.”
“You’re so full of it.”
The call disconnects. My blood boils. I don’t know how I ever dated that guy, let alone married him.
Trey tiptoes into the living room as if he’s approaching a wild animal. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah. It’s just Kyle being Kyle.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Why don’t you get Abby? I’ll finish cleaning up in the kitchen and we’ll have our own movie night.”
“Or you get Abby and I’ll finish cleaning up.” He cups my cheek. “Kyle’s not the only one who can rent a princess movie.”
I lean into his warm palm. The simple gesture gives me the comfort I need. He makes everything better. “Have I told you yet today that you're my favorite?”
“You haven’t.” The corner of his lips tip up into a smile.
“Because you are.”
“Thank you.” He winks. “I love you.”
From what could have been a disastrous night, Trey turned it around, not only for me, but for Abby. Now, I need to get my shit together to give him everything he’s given me. It would be much easier if I wasn’t so broken.