Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
PATRICK
I’ve been able to avoid Elle for the last three days and it’s been torture.
I’ve been on edge all morning and the only thing keeping me from pulling my heart out is my new companion, Honey Cat.
I don’t know how but the cat keeps finding me while I’m out and about the Farm.
She’s a funny little thing that reminds me a little too much of her owner but she helps to keep me away from temptation.
Honey cat and Donna, who has invited me to lunch at the Big House to have lunch with other employees every day this week. Donna is a master in the kitchen and I can’t believe she whips up lunch and dinner for everyone every day.
It has been nice to get connected to other people working at the Farm.
I’ve gotten even more ideas of different education options to expand with all the different conversations I’ve been able to have.
I’m just finishing up my dinner when Lola and Jude make their way into the kitchen. The look on their faces is grim as they search the room full of employees tucking in.
I sit up straighter, worry starts to turn my stomach. In the two weeks I’ve been working here, I’ve never seen anything less than a smile on Lola’s face.
I make eye contact with Jude and my stomach drops when he taps Lola on the shoulder and tips his chin in my direction. Lola offers a small wave to me and slowly makes her way towards me.
“Hey Rick, how goes it?” I offer her a tight nod in answer, my throat immediately dry. “Would you mind taking a walk with me and Jude?”
“Yeah, I’m done.” I quickly clean up my dinner and follow Lola and Jude out of the Big House.
Nerves climb up my spine as we make the trek back to Elle’s office.
The wind has picked up and I guess the windstorm that was predicted was finally coming to fruition.
We’ve been walking in complete silence and it’s doing nothing to calm my anxiety.
We finally make it to the office, Lola raising an eyebrow at the sign for work boots. Not wanting to make an additional waves for whatever this conversation was about to be, I kick off my boots and knock on the door to announce our arrival.
Lola and Jude ignore the sign and Elle keeps her focus on her computer, there is a scowl on her face and her face has a pink tint to it. “Hey Elle, do you have a few minutes to talk?” Lola’s voice is cautious, like she’s approaching a wounded animal.
“I don’t have any time. I have to fix other people's mistakes.” Elle grinds out, her fingers hitting the keys of her keyboard at an almost punishing rate.
“Elle, come on.” Jude tries to step closer to her desk.
“No! Four weeks!” Elle jumps up and throws her arms in the air, “I was promised four weeks and now it’s ‘unclear how long until approval will come through’? ”
I’ve seen Elle mad. I’ve seen her annoyed, I’ve even seen her scared but I’ve never seen her like this. Her eyes are glassy and her face has turned into a deep red shade. “I know, Elle. Trust me, we are doing everything we can to fix this.” Lola hedges and my eyebrows pull down in confusion.
“Fix what?” It feels like my question takes all the air out of the room. All eyes swing to me and I’m almost afraid of the answer.
“You!” Elle points her finger at me and I take a step back. “This is all your fault!”
“Elle, stop that. It’s not his fault.” Lola puts herself in between her sister and me which would be humorous if Elle wasn’t so upset.
Lola is smaller than both of us but her backbone is made of steel.
“I can’t do this. You promised me, LJ. You promised.
” Elle’s voice cracks on the last word and my stomach clenches with the need to push past Lola to offer any form of comfort Elle would take.
Instead Elle pushes past all of us, storming out of the building. “Don’t follow me!” She yells over her shoulder and slams the door behind her. Jude places a hand on my shoulder when I start to turn to try and follow her, despite her warning.
“We gotta talk.” Lola’s voice is wobbly and I can tell she feels guilty that she isn’t going after her older sister. She takes a deep breath but it’s Jude who drops the bomb.
“I guess there was a problem and one of the permits that needed to be submitted last week wasn’t included with all the other permits that were dropped off together.
Our accountant found it in some documents that were sent to him.
We’ve gotten it submitted correctly now but we can’t get a guarantee on when it will go through.
” I can feel the blood rushing in my ears as his words spin through my head.
“You gotta let me work somewhere else.”
I didn’t want to be in this space for any longer than I needed to. Elle doesn’t want me here and I need to put some distance between the two of us. I can’t do my job with all the focus she takes from me every day.
No, I can’t stay here in this office indefinitely. I can’t, I won’t.
“Rick, I’m so sorry we don’t have anywhere else to put you right now.” Lola’s voice comes out so quiet but I can’t accept this.
Elle looked broken before she stormed out and I never want to be the reason for her to look or feel like that.
I’d rather quit than hurt Elle.
I barely register Lola and Jude’s conversation but do hear they are worried about Elle being outside with the weather getting drastically worse. Eventually, they leave but I’m still stuck in my shame spiral.
What could I do to fix this?