Chapter 4
ASH
“So they just cut your access and sent an email?” Eli asks reaching for another bottle of the well vodka in the backroom of McKinley’s. “They didn’t even call to tell you not to waste your time logging in?”
Shaking my head at him, I grab a couple bottles of Jack to bring out to the bar.
“They even turned off the voicemail for the HR department team. They knew exactly what kind of reaction this was going to get, but they obviously don’t care.
Majority of my team was not local to the office and was full of people with disabilities or people like me who aren’t exactly welcome in the traditional white-collar workplace. ”
Before he could get started on defending himself as the paragon of employers, I head back to the main room to continue setting up for the graduation party that evening.
Shiloh and Toby, two very good friends of mine and former roommates of Eli’s, graduated from Wrenshaw University this year.
Their boyfriend, Don, decided that we should surprise the two with a big bash since neither of them got to enjoy their high school graduations, and Toby’s mother ruined his graduation from culinary school.
Hanging streamers is a much better use of my time than the previous few days of moping.
My former coworkers all reached out on social media with friend requests to “keep in touch” but as soon as they saw what I post on my personal stuff, they unfriended real fast. I didn’t think I spent the last five years alongside a bunch of bigots, but I guess I was wrong.
Apparently, they are an ally as long as all it involves is sharing rainbows and changing their profile photos for the month of June.
“You know not all bosses or workplaces are like that, right?” Eli’s voice cuts through the silence of the empty bar. “Please tell me I haven’t made you feel that way, Ash. I would never want you uncomfortable working for me.”
And here we go.
I pull my hands down my face in exasperation and look to the ceiling for patience.
This is always the issue I have with speaking up.
What is it that makes people – especially cis white men – think they need to inject themselves into things that they obviously have no business in?
Granted, I was born white with a dick, but I don’t lump myself in with them.
“Just drop it, Eli. You’re a great friend and a good manager. But please don’t make it about you right now. It’s not my responsibility to reward you for showing me basic respect and decency. If you want someone to tell you that you’re a good boy, go find a Daddy for that.”
A giggle from the direction of the office almost makes me fall off the barstool I’m standing on.
Ladders are for sissies.
Actually, Eli was using the stepladder in the back room, and I am just being too much of a petty bitch to go back and grab it. As soon as I regain my balance, I glance over to the hallway and notice Lucky, another resident of Kink Manor, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
I guess he was taking a nap in the office since before I came in.
“Hey there Lucky,” I greet him with a smile that he returns with another giggle.
“Hi Ash!” he exclaims and skips over to my side. “Do you want me to beat up Uncle Eli for being a doody-brain?”
Ruffling his curls, I shake my head. As funny as it would be watching Lucky in his Little space beating up the self-proclaimed Sadist, we don’t have the time to waste today. If this party is going to go off without a hitch, we need to buckle down and get to work.
Even with the smiles surrounding me, the cloud of despair for my situation is hanging over me all evening. Of course, it doesn’t help that our resident teddy bear is still missing.
I never realized how much I rely on the big lug being around until he isn’t there. His quiet chuckles and calm observations help all of us stay grounded and centered. The pets and Littles all stay a bit calmer with him around, as well. Something about the man just… it’s just better when he’s here.