Chapter 2 #2
This isn’t much different than any other Friday because we meet in this exact spot for “Accomplishments and Accolades'', the company’s weekly way to acknowledge who is doing good things. While it’s never been my type of thing, I'll play along if it makes me seem more committed to workplace morale.
Our last manager, Leslie, was supportive, personable, and motivating, so it is going to be difficult for someone else to fill her shoes. Honestly, I’m surprised that she was not promoted to regional manager sooner with the way that she ran this place, but it was sad to see her go.
Wes plops down in the seat next to me with a handful of jelly beans. “You want some?”
He moves his hand closer to me as if that makes them more enticing, and I shake my head. Some of our coworkers keep candy on their desks, and Wes, the social butterfly, bops from desk to desk to get the sugar rush needed to make it through the end of the work day.
“I don’t understand how you still have teeth with your continuous consumption of sugar.”
He shrugs and tosses a jellybean up, catching it in his mouth with ease. Right as I give him a shove, the voices in the meeting room begin to hush.
“Good afternoon! Let’s quiet down.” Tara, our regional manager, demands attention as she walks in with someone who is eerily familiar.
I stare at this man trying to place him.
He looks like he’s in his mid-forties, but there’s nothing remarkable about him.
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen him, but where would that have been?
He is an outside hire, so I can’t know him from a past ERI conference. Closing my eyes, I try to picture him, and for some reason, the smell of coffee sticks out in my mind.
No.
Tara continues, “I hope you can all give a warm welcome to the Virginia office’s new manager.” The realization hits me hard, and my stomach drops to the floor. “I would like to introduce you all to Gregory Fleming. He has been onboarding all week, but Gregory will start officially on Monday. ”
I close my eyes tight and open them back up, hoping that I am hallucinating, but I’m not.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
“Hello, everyone. I am so glad to be here. You all can call me Greg.” He waves to the group of us, and it reveals the moisture under his armpits.
There is no fucking way that this is happening right now.
He attempts a welcoming smile, but all I can see is the creep from this morning leaning too close to Ellie.
Droning on, he says, “I am very excited to be working with you all. I have been inspired by the company ever since I heard of all the hard work they have been doing. I would like to share some of my ideas and plans with—”
The ringing in my ears gets so loud that it distracts me from what he is saying. I zone out for what feels like a few minutes, but I’m not really sure.
Wes nudges me, and I come back to reality. “Right?”
“W-what?” Blinking, I try to get my bearings, but I can’t think.
He is still watching Greg and hasn’t noticed my reaction, which is a good thing. I don’t need Wes going all investigator on me.
“Don’t you think it’s kinda stupid?”
“Do I think what is kinda stupid?” I take a deep breath and try to pull myself together.
“Dude, were you not listening at all? Gregory… ‘Greg’ was talking about how he thinks ‘community’ is the most important part of having a productive workplace, and he wants all of us who work in the office to be ‘a family’ or whatever.” Wes provides some well-placed air quotes to convey his feelings for Greg’s plans, and I’m still not quite following.
I stare at him like this is the first time I’m hearing this information because honestly, it is.
When I don’t react, he continues, “That’s not what I think is stupid though. That part makes sense. I don’t understand why we have to start participating in community-building social events outside of the work day.”
My world comes back into focus. “Yeah, that actually sounds really dumb.”
“Well, I guess it’s not all that bad. It’s cool that the company will be paying for it, and he wants us to invite our loved ones.
” Wes emphasizes the words mocking Greg, and I’m grateful that his voice doesn’t carry.
“Oh! Maybe I can start bringing my first dates to these things that way I don’t have to cover the bill. ”
“Sounds like one of your worst ideas, which is saying a lot since you have bad ideas on a regular basis. Don't you remember the twins?" I roll my eyes. "You really thought you could get away with dating both of them even though they lived together.”
He smirks, taking some time trying to calculate how bad his plan is before answering me. “Fair point, boss. I should probably keep it chill for a while, especially with the new boss around.”
Greg has moved to one-on-one conversations with the people who are interested in getting themselves known by the new boss, which offers me a chance to escape unnoticed.
Maybe if I didn’t already get a chance to see Greg’s true colors already, I might try to get on his good side, but that desire is long gone.
Seeing my opportunity, I take it. Wes gets up to leave, and I stand on the other side of him to sneak out. Keeping my eyes towards the ground, I begin walking with a purpose. The purpose being to get the fuck out of here and hope Greg isn’t good with faces.
“Hey, you!” There is a voice yelling in our direction. “I remember you from this morning! Come over here.”
If I ignore him, it will look bad on me and my team, so I glance in his direction. As we make eye contact, it’s obvious Greg is talking to me, and there is no getting away. I want to run, but that’s impossible to do now. Standing up straighter, I walk over to him.
Greg gives a sickly smile. “Small world, huh?”
“Yeah, definitely.” My attempt at politeness would be described as questionable at best.
Greg makes some small talk about The Brew, and I pretend like it’s not the worst thing I’ve had to do. Even though this is my first time talking with Greg, I already know he’s a scummy person.
“I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone at the social events I’m planning. We’re going to go to a happy hour next Friday after work. You should bring Emily.”
He waits for a response, and I give him a confused look. Who the fuck is Emily?
“O-oh, is it not Emily? Elizabeth? Eileen?”
When a few more names are rattled out, I realize what he’s trying to say. “Are you talking about Ellie?”
It is astonishing that Greg can’t remember the name of the person he was literally harassing this morning. “Ah, yes! Ellie! That’s her name. You should bring her to the happy hour. I want to meet everyone and their loved ones. It should be a fun time!”
Then it hits me hard and fast.
Greg thinks I’m dating Ellie. He thinks I’m her boyfriend and that I was visiting her at work this morning. This is not good. I don’t know what he knows, so I figure the best thing I can do is come clean, “Actually, Ellie and I—”
But, I bite my tongue when the realization hits.
If I tell him the truth, he is going to go right back to bothering her.
She seemed so shaken up by their interactions this morning; I can’t let that happen again.
Not that I have any right to try to protect Ellie, but my memory goes back to how she looked this morning right before she asked for my help.
Her eyes filled with unease. The panic in her body language.
Trying to gain my composure, I decide to commit to whatever Greg believes, which is that Ellie and I are together in some capacity. “Uh, sure. I’ll see if she can make it.”
“Great! I’m looking forward to it!” Without another care in the world, Greg turns around and schmoozes with my other coworkers.
Why did I say that? What is wrong with me? How can I fix this?
Running my fingers through my hair, I try to get my thoughts together when I hear a flirty voice beside me. Just when I thought this moment could not get any worse.
“Wow, you already have an in with the new boss? That’s impressive.” I don’t even have to look to know that Rebecca is standing next to me. She started at the company three or four years ago and has been a thorn in my side ever since.
“Hi, Rebecca.” My tone is flat and bored when I engage.
It might seem rude to anyone watching, but I’ve learned from my mistakes.
If I show her any interest, even platonic, she won’t stop bothering me for days.
It’s not like there’s anything wrong with Rebecca, but she’s overbearing and not my type.
I like sweet and subtle, and there is not a singular subtle thing about her.
“So, how do you know him?” She is so close that I can feel her breath on my skin.
Adding another foot of well needed distance between us, I take a step back. “Uhh, I really don’t. I just saw him at my usual coffee spot this morning, and I guess he recognized me.”
“Oh, that’s all? It seemed like you were two already getting close. Well, I suppose you do have a very memorable face.” She says with a wink.
There have been so many times that I have tried to let her down easy, and it irks me that she just doesn’t get it.
This is a difficult situation though because she is still my coworker.
I want to be blunt, but I don’t need to be in the center of office drama.
Actually, I want to be as far away from any drama as possible, and associating with Rebecca is not the way to do that.
“Yeah, I guess. I have to run, but have a good weekend.” I say plainly and walk out of the conference room, not daring to give her another glance because I know that she will misinterpret things.