Chapter 1 #2
Kat smiled. It was nice to have friends who wanted her around, but her job was being held over her head, yet again, and she didn’t feel she had the freedom to stay against her boss’s wishes. “Love you guys,” she said. “But I’ve gotta jam. See you next week.”
Her friends said goodbye, sounding a little bummed that she had to leave.
But as soon as she turned a corner, she could hear them laughing and joking just as they had been before she left.
“Good,” she said under her breath. “They deserve a break.” Everyone she knew had worked so hard that week, and she didn’t begrudge them a bit of fun in their off hours.
She just wished she didn’t have to leave them.
Her studio apartment was within walking distance of Louie’s, which was one of the many reasons she favored it for Fridays. She didn’t even have to get a ride home. She walked three blocks alone on the well-lit downtown streets, texting her boss the whole way there.
On my way home. Will start as soon as I get there.
Good, he replied. Keep me posted.
She hadn’t eaten enough at Louie’s, so as soon as she got into her apartment and switched all the lights on, she went straight for the fridge. Cold leftovers from last night’s takeout was all she had time for. She sat down at her computer with her boxed dinner and started composing emails.
If Kat did anything well, it was wording difficult conversations in just the right way.
There was no chance any of the graphic designers and influencers she was about to contact would be happy to hear from her, but at least she could soften the blow.
The truth was, her boss didn’t know how lucky he was that she frequently ignored his advice when it came to communication.
He would have lost the support of everyone who worked with them if she did exactly what he told her to do.
Only a couple of the emails she sent out were replied to right away, and just as she expected, they weren’t happy.
She apologized on behalf of their client and told them why they were chosen, what they did well, and how important they were to the campaign.
It wasn’t quite empty flattery. Everything she said was true, but she focused on building them up, making them feel their importance rather than subtly threatening them.
There was no guarantee this method would work, but she was certain her boss’s proposed method would not. At least this way they had a chance.
At one point, she looked over at the clock and saw that it was three in the morning. The last few messages could be sent first thing the next day. She was tired, and she crashed into her bed fully clothed, without getting ready for sleep at all.
She awoke to her phone ringing after what felt like only minutes of sleep—ringing, as in a phone call, not a text. There was only one person who actually called her. She leapt out of bed and scrambled to answer her phone. “Mom?”
Her mother sighed on the other end of the line. “Hi, honey. How have things been for you?”
“Oh, fine, fine.” Kat glanced down at the time. Eight in the morning. This was unusual. “Why are you calling so early?”
Her mother sighed. “Unfortunately, I have bad news about your Uncle Roy.”
Uncle Roy. Kat hadn’t seen him in years, but she remembered liking him well enough. “What happened?”
“He passed the day before yesterday.”
It took Kat a second to process what she was hearing. “He passed?”
“His heart. I know you weren’t close, but we would love it if you could make it up here for the funeral.” Kat could almost hear the smile in her mom’s voice as she said, “Come home, honey. We miss you.”
There was a double meaning in her mom’s request. Kat understood that.
But she couldn’t make that kind of promise.
She couldn’t come home to stay, and her mom already knew that.
Either way, her mom had to try to talk her into it.
It was tradition, Kat supposed, so she played along like always.
“Just as soon as I get the perfect opportunity, I’ll be there.
” She laughed quietly. “Of course I’ll come back for the funeral. When is it?”
Her mom cleared her throat. “Tomorrow evening.”
Kat nearly dropped her phone. “Tomorrow? Mom, I don’t think I can make it. I have this work thing.”
“Just tell your boss you’ve had a loss in your family,” her mom said. “He’ll understand.” Her voice was so hopeful, Kat couldn’t bear to let her down.
She sighed. “OK. I’ll figure it out.”
“You’ll be there?” There was that hope again. “Promise?”
“I promise. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
As soon as she had gotten off the phone with her mom, Kat texted her boss. I need to leave town for a funeral this weekend, so I won’t be available to work. I’ll need Monday off, too.
He replied, Absolutely not. You know the tight spot we’re in. Now is not the time for a family reunion.
Did the word funeral escape him somehow? There was a death in my family, and the funeral is Sunday. I’ll be attending. To be clear, I’m not asking permission. I’m letting you know.
The three little dots that meant he was typing appeared and disappeared several times before he finally settled on a response. She was curious what it would be. This was the first time she’d ever defied him quite so blatantly.
Finally, he responded. All right. I’ll give you Monday off, but only if you agree to follow up with any refusals from our influencers over the weekend. Don’t take no for an answer.
So he was going to ignore the part about how she wasn’t asking for permission. She sighed. Whatever made him happy. She texted back: I’ll follow up. She did not promise to not take no for an answer.