Chapter 22 Brielle #2
My eyes shut tightly. Dammit. I’m always so conscientious of accuracy. It’s vital in accounting that nothing is incorrect. That’s the entire point of our roles. My nose burns, and I suck in a deep, steady breath.
Me: I’m so sorry. I’ll triple-check everything. I promise.
That isn’t like me at all, but I was so tired last night. My eyes were fighting to stay open, and at some point, the numbers all started to blur together. That’s when I called it a day, but it must have been too late.
Rui: Alls good. Let’s get together tomorrow, if you have the time.
I will have to make the time. I can’t let him think that my work was suffering because of my time helping with marketing. I just needed to reprioritize.
I shift my focus back to the team in front of me. One thing at a time.
Trent, Danielle, and I work on the ad copy together for the rest of the day.
It takes a little coaxing for them to believe that I truly welcome their suggestions, but once the ideas start flowing, we make good progress.
Trent and Danielle help to guide my big concepts into impactful but manageable selections, providing honest feedback about what will or will not work—and why—based on their experience and expertise.
“Thanks for everything today. I really appreciate you guys letting me pretend to be in charge,” I laugh.
“This is all you. We’re just here for support,” Danielle says, slipping her arms into her sweater.
“And for the glory, of course,” Trent adds with a laugh. “Honestly, you’ve done a great job today. You have a real knack for this kind of thing.”
“Thanks. That means a lot,” I tell them.
“Have a good night, Brielle. Don’t stay too late.”
“See you tomorrow,” I say as they leave together.
There are just a few more things I want to work on before I leave, like seeing how the ad will look on various platform and sizes.
If we need to make any changes, I want to know now before we get any further.
There is still a lot of work to be done, especially on the messaging, but that’s on tomorrow’s to-do list.
I pop into my other office a little while later to gather my things before I head out for the day. Rui and Erica are already long gone, and when I check the time I realize that it’s past 8:00 p.m.
“Shoot,” I mumble to myself. That’s another hour that I have to mentally erase from my plan to get everything done. Despite the fact that I hate to spend the money, I bite the bullet and schedule an Uber to take me home. At least that will save me the twenty minutes of walking.
I unlock my apartment door a few minutes later, tired and hungry, but at least I’m home.
“Hey, lady, I saved you a plate. It’s in the fridge,” Holly calls from the couch as I close the door behind me. She’s already changed into comfy clothes and wrapped her bonnet over her braids to keep them from frizzing.
“Thanks, boo. What did you make?”
“Stir-fry with rice. It was good. Hopefully, it reheats okay.” She shrugs.
I reheat my plate in the microwave and set up my work-issued laptop on the two-person table in our tiny kitchen. A few hours go by in a flash, and before I know it, Holly is getting ready to head off to bed.
“Don’t stay up too late again. You’re working yourself to death, and you’re only going to get burnt out.”
“I know. It’s just temporary though. I don’t want to waste this opportunity to work with the marketing team, but I can’t drop the ball on my real job either.”
Holly sits next to me at the table, clutching my hand in hers. “Have you told him that you’re overwhelmed? He’d help you out if he knew, boo. After what you told me about your trip to Colorado…” She sends me a knowing look.
I told Damian that our night together would stay between us, but everyone knows that means me, him, and my bestie. That’s a given, and I don’t feel bad about it. Holly was entirely unsurprised when I told her that we hooked up, giving her the highlights of the evening without a play-by-play.
She was also unsurprised when I told her that I wished it weren’t a onetime thing. Because I doubt I’ll ever find anyone who can make me feel the things Damian made me feel, and the idea that my best sexual experience is behind me is just sad.
“I’m not looking for a handout, Hols. That’s the exact opposite of what I’m trying to do,” I tell her, pulling my hand back so I can get back to work.
“I signed up to take on the extra workload working with marketing, and now I have to perform. I can get it all done. I just need to work out my time management.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I saw you take a bathroom break a few hours ago. Easily can cut out those three minutes if you learned to control your bladder better,” she counters.
“I’m serious. I can do it.”
“I’m serious,” she snaps. Holly and I almost never argue, and the sharpness in her voice jolts me.
“You can’t do it, babe. You’re working eighteen-hour days.
You’re not sleeping, you’re barely eating.
” She gestures to my long-forgotten plate, the sticky rice congealed and cold, the vegetables lying shriveled on top like they died waiting to reach their final resting place in my belly.
“You never even took off your shoes, in your own damn home.”
I look down at my feet to see my short black boots are, in fact, still on.
“I can do it,” I tell her again, trying to convince myself that it’s the truth.
It has to be the truth. If Damian would expect this from someone else, then I need him to know that he can expect it from me.
I can’t ask him to make an exception. Especially not now.
Not when it looks like I’m expecting special favors because of our time together. “I just need to figure it out.”
Tears prickle in my eyes for no real reason other than pure exhaustion.
Holly shakes her head, a deep, visceral sigh pulled from the depths of her soul as she frowns at me with disappointment.
“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m going to bed. Get some sleep… whenever you feel like it, I guess.” She gets up and walks toward her bedroom.
“Hols, don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you, Bri. I’m worried about you.”
She’s not the only one. I’m worried about me, too. Because truth be told, I’m not sure I can do this much longer.