Chapter 28
Lisa
Before going to bed, I check my phone one more time to see if Michael Barnes, Chairman of State Foods, Inc.
, has responded to my urgent email regarding the first net loss posted by the company in fourteen years.
Instead, what I see is an even more urgent email.
Marked high importance, it is from Heidi Maddison, the Group Chief HR Officer, with the subject line:
Dismissal – Justin Graham for Breach of Workplace Dating Policy
The phone slips out of my hand, crashing to the floor. The screen instantly morphs into a spider web, but still has enough openings so that I can read the email clearly. Alex tosses and unconsciously murmurs something, but remains fast asleep.
In the body of the email, Heidi has written:
Justin Graham was dismissed with immediate effect for being intimately involved with his subordinate, Lindsay Henriques.
For the record, Lindsay stated that the relationship was consensual. However, Justin’s failure to formally notify HR, in writing, about being intimately involved with a subordinate has automatically resulted in an immediate dismissal.
In light of several recent high-profile sex scandals at major companies around the world that have been dominating the news and negatively impacting the bottom line of the organizations, I am recommending we urgently schedule a meeting with the Executive Management team to revisit and update the Code of Conduct.
I am shocked, almost paralyzed.
With everything to lose, I call a meeting for 8:30am, a mere six hours away.
Right after I send out the meeting invite, Michael responds to my email, but that has to be placed on the back burner. Reporting a net loss, the nightmare of every CEO, is the least of my concerns at the moment.
I feel nauseous. I feel like I’ve been sucker-punched in my stomach.
Placing the phone on the nightstand, I lie back on the bed and stare at the ceiling.
Shaking. Over the years I’ve had several sleepless, difficult nights, and in those moments, I’ve wished Alex would wrap his arms around me and tell me, “Everything’s going to be okay”.
But this time, on one of the most difficult nights I’ve ever endured, I can’t hope for that.
Either way, Alex is fast asleep on the other side of the bed.
I stare at the ceiling all night, my arms across my chest, unable to close my eyes yet alone fall asleep.
My thoughts are racing. Tapping my watch face many times throughout the night, I check the time thinking hours have passed — each time, it’s more like fifteen minutes.
Alone in the dark, the night moves slowly.
At 5:00am I turn off my alarm and return to staring at the ceiling. I skip exercise. Unthinkable.