Chapter 3 #2
She spent the rest of her shift cleaning up messes that seemed to reappear again minutes later, answering the same question about where something was approximately six-thousand times, and weathering the pitying glances from both Rue and the co-worker manning the till.
They were probably glad not to be the target today, but at least a few words of encouragement would have been nice.
When she was finally, mercifully, allowed to clock out, twenty minutes after her shift ended, she didn’t even have to find Mr. Lewis. Her manager seemed to appear behind her out of nowhere as she was leaving the break room to go and look for him.
“Miss Gardener. I hope you understand what an abysmal performance I witnessed from you today.” He wagged his finger at her. “I would prefer if this didn’t become a regular occurrence.”
Acutely aware of several people nearby who were beginning to pay attention, Mira tried to keep her voice low. “I’d prefer if we could discuss this in your office.”
“No, no, I think your colleagues would benefit from understanding what went wrong here today.” He raised his chin and looked down his nose at her.
“We are a Golden River emporium, not some shabby corner store. It is imperative that we keep up with the demands of serving our most honoured customers with utmost perfection and attention.”
“I understand,” Mira ground out. “I was-”
“Being supremely inefficient,” he cut her off.
“I trust that you will find a way to increase your performance as the job demands, Miss Gardener.” He smiled, all teeth.
“Now, run along, and I expect to see you back here tomorrow bright and early for the opening shift. I don’t think I need to remind you of the consequences if you’re not here at seven-thirty sharp. ”
The smile was what did it. The tone, she’d heard a thousand times, the way he spoke to employees as if they were children.
But he usually did it in private, didn’t put on a performance for their most honoured customers, a display of how much they mattered, and how little the people were valued who kept the place running.
How replaceable they all were in the end.
Fine. If that was the case, Mira was happy to oblige. She’d put up with this for long enough. If she was so easily replaced, then they could damn well just do that.
“No, you don’t, Mr. Lewis.” Mira took care to keep her hands steady, her voice sweet. “I am perfectly aware.” She grabbed the strap of her purse a little tighter. “And I think I don’t care much about those consequences anymore.”
Sod him. Him and the company and the people following the exchange as if it was a little play she and Lewis were performing for their amusement.
She didn’t need this, not anymore. Thanks to Uncle Lochlin, she had an alternative now.
So Mira made what would end up either the best or the worst decision of her life right then and there.
“I quit, Mr. Lewis. Effective immediately. I’m afraid you’ll need to open the store by yourself tomorrow.”
It took a second or two until his smile froze, then slowly disappeared.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”
“I am letting you know that I am resigning,” Mira said slowly, her face hot but a feeling of triumph crawling up her spine as she smiled the same smile he had moments earlier. “As of right now, I do not work for you anymore.”
“But-” He inhaled sharply. “This is unacceptable. You can’t simply quit on the spot. There is a process-”
“I know the process. Verbal notice must be followed by written notice, and I will be sure to deliver that first thing in the morning.” She swallowed down a sudden burst of nerves.
Wait. What was she doing? But she couldn’t stop herself, or bring herself to back-pedal. Didn’t want to. “Good day, Mr. Lewis.”
She swept past him, taking petty satisfaction in bumping against his shoulder as she did. He didn’t snap at her the way he usually would. In fact, she didn’t hear him make any noise at all until she reached the stairs.
“Miss Gardener, you can’t-”
She didn’t stop to listen to what he thought she could and couldn’t do.
She’d been forced to do that for long enough – no more.
She left the shop floor, left the whispering customers and the gawking cashier and Rue, wonderful and bewildered Rue, as she hurried down the stairs, across the ground floor with its discounts and featured items, and didn’t stop until she had left the emporium and rounded the corner down the street, where she finally stumbled to a halt and caught herself on a lamp post.
“Oh, rats.”
She gulped, trying to keep breathing. What had she done, quitting on him like that? An alternative? Really?
Eyes wide, Mira leaned against the wall of the store behind her, ignoring the worried glances of passers-by, and stared at the overcast sky.
Well. Seeing as he had insisted that they do it out on the shop floor, the cat was definitely out of the bag.
No mutual, awkward pretending that this had never happened.
If the news didn’t reach senior management by closing today, she would be rather surprised.
So she really didn’t have a job anymore, did she.
She blinked as a flock of pigeons passed overhead. No, she didn’t have a job – but she did have a shop.
I guess I’ll consider it after all, Uncle Lochlin.