Chapter Twenty-five
Elizabeth
“Things done well and with a care, exempt themselves from fear.”
Henry VIII
My phone dinged as I crossed Avon Street on my way to the late shift at the restaurant. I paused when I reached the sidewalk to check, grinning at the text from Evan.
It’s weird here without you.
It gave me a little thrill that he was thinking about me while he was working. We’d been texting and calling each other over the past couple of days, since I’d spent each morning at the library, and he worked until late. It was strange that only Monday I would have been at the station too.
How’s Lauren getting on without me? I replied, then kept heading toward the Downtown Mall.
She’s found another victim.
Who?
That perky woman who does the tech stuff.
Gigi?
He responded with a thumbs-up on my question.
Poor Gigi. I feel kind of guilty for leaving her to pick up my slack.
Don’t. She’s actually really competent at the production.
Oof. Thanks for the vote of confidence.
The writing hasn’t been nearly as tight though.
He didn’t need to sugarcoat it, I knew I wasn’t meant for that job. I hoped Gigi would rise to the top of the entire newsroom empire. Tell my workplace BFF I said hi.
Or you could stop in yourself sometime. I’d love to see you. He added a winky emoji. I wished I could swing over, but I needed to be at the restaurant by five.
Text me when Lauren’s out sick, and you’re on.
I wish she’d call out. Or quit.
That made me stop walking. Has she been bothering you?
Three dots appeared, disappeared, and then the phone rang.
“Hey,” I said. “Did something happen?”
“I mean, nothing I can’t handle. Apparently she saw a forecast on her phone app and wanted to know why I wasn’t predicting a blizzard for the weekend. She wanted to tease a big event, but I refused because I didn’t think it likely.”
It had been chilly for the past few days, but not super cold for November. Of course, Virginia weather had a mind of its own, and I could bundle in layers only to swap into a T-shirt by afternoon.
“Why wouldn’t she trust the actual meteorologist?”
“It’s not that she doesn’t trust me. She doesn’t even care. She said, ‘What’s the worst thing that can happen if you’re wrong?’ and I said, ‘Besides a loss of credibility?’”
“Seriously.”
“I mean, I’m still new here, and it’s kind of important to build a reputation.”
“Did you tell her that?” I entered an alley approaching the Downtown Mall, walking slowly.
“She said people aren’t watching me for accuracy.”
I gasped. “Oh, my God. She did not.”
“She said nobody expects the weather forecast to be right. It’s all just hocus pocus.”
I didn’t want to tell him that’s what most people thought. Besides Lauren could eat a bag of dicks. “The audacity.”
“Right? And when I told her it was highly unprofessional, she said, ‘What’s going to happen if you bend the facts a little? I’m not going to fire you.’ I said, ‘You wouldn’t have to.’”
“I wish I could say I was shocked.”
“She basically told me I was being paid to lie. I might as well let her write up whatever weather report she wants, show up at ten minutes before the segment, and read the teleprompter.”
“She’s such an asshole.”
“And then she brought up what happened on Monday.”
“Oh, shit.” I hoped he wouldn’t get in trouble on account of me. “What did she say?”
“She said, ‘That was some scene I walked in on.’”
“Well, is there anything she can do about it? I don’t even work there anymore.”
“If she was going to lodge a complaint, she would have already. Anyway, there’s nothing to report.”
“Let’s hope not.”
He sighed. “I don’t know how I’m going to survive another unethical work environment. No wonder you quit.”
“Freedom. Horrible, horrible freedom.”
“Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. I’m not too worried about it.”
My phone buzzed with another call coming in from Kate. “Hey, I have to go. Getting a call.”
“See you later?”
“Not tonight. Working late.”
“Okay. Call you tomorrow.”
“Bye.”
I swallowed down nervous anticipation and connected the call.
“Hi, Kate. Did you get my email?” I’d sent her the finished Tristram Shandy chapters this morning, but with no more promised work on the horizon, I’d had to beg Henry, the manager at the restaurant, to put me on rotation on the bar.
“I did. Thank you for your quick turnaround. You’ve saved my ass a few times, and we haven’t even made it to Thanksgiving break.” She always spoke professionally to me now that we were closer to colleagues than student-teacher. “I wish all my copy editors were as diligent as you.”
I appreciated the praise, but it only proved what Evan had said to Kate. She should be hiring me full time if I was that valuable. I considered whining about my needs, but she’d taken advantage of my availability for years. What would a straight white man do?
I channeled Evan’s blithe confidence and stated my case.
“Kate, I love this work, but without reliable hours, I’ll need to quit to pursue another opportunity.
” I clenched my left hand, steeling myself for the ask.
“If you put me on a salary, forty hours a week, plus benefits and paid time off, I could focus only on this job. You know it would cost far more to let me go. Nobody else will turn the work around as quickly or as thoroughly.”
I forced myself to stop talking and wait. I’d done the hard part. The worst she could do was say no.
“Well, Elizabeth. It’s good that you know your worth.” I heard her chuckle. Was she proud of me? “However. I met with the provost to discuss creating a new position for you.”
I had to take a seat on a nearby bench. I didn’t like that however. It was my MFA rejection all over again. “He said no,” I predicted, my body deflating with defeat. It had been worth a try.
“No, he didn’t say no, but he was cagey about the budget. I explained how much more efficient it would be to have you on staff. I made him see that it would be a bargain to bring you on.”
Buoyed by her faith in me, I sat up and landed the killing argument. “But that only scratches the surface. You’ll be getting a partner in me. I’d shoulder more of the load than just the editing.”
She laughed. “Preaching to the choir.”
At least I had her on my side. But what was that worth if she couldn’t fight for me? Had she built me up just to let me down? Was I destined to juggle gig work forever? I was prepared for the sting of disappointment. “Okay, so now what?”
“Now, you’re going to have to be a little patient while he pushes pennies around, but he thinks we can bring you on full time starting spring semester. It wouldn’t permanent, but we can renegotiate each semester.”
I gasped. “You what?” Forgetting how to form sentences, I waited for her to repeat what she’d just said.
“I fought to get you a fair offer which should come out to a bit more than your current hourly rate, plus benefits, so I hope you’ll accept the offer when it’s made.”
I smiled. “Oh, my God, Kate. That’s…” How could I explain what a relief it would be to focus solely on the one job I loved? “Thank you.”
Spring semester started mid-January. I’d just need to continue to tread water. I didn’t even want to think about pulling money from the vacation fund to cover my expenses. Chelsea would murder me if I told her we had to go to Virginia Beach because I blew plane fare on rent.
“You’re so welcome. Oh! I forgot. I also wrangled you a desk in one of the TA offices. It’s the best I could do on short notice.”
I had to laugh. An office? I’d be hanging out with the MFA students? “It’s perfect.”
“While the provost gets your paperwork in order, why don’t you go ahead and come in on Monday. I have a lot of administrative work I’d like your help with. I’ll compensate you at your freelance rate, of course.”
My eyes filled with tears. “Next week?” Finally, there was an end in sight to all the scrambling. “I don’t know how to thank you, Kate.”
“Just keep doing your excellent work.”
I choked back a sob. “I will.”
Unlike with the newsroom interview, I didn’t even have to pretend. I’d proved myself over and over.
“You deserve this. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long.”
Maybe that job at the station hadn’t been for nothing. Maybe Kate had needed a serious threat to her resource to offer me a position. And Evan. He hadn’t done anything but say the words I’d been too scared to voice.
Let that be a lesson to me. From here forth, I would always speak my mind, ask for things I wanted, and not assume the answer would be no.
I checked the time. I still had ten minutes before I needed to be at the bar.
I practically skipped to the coffee shop, unsurprised to find Chelsea helming the register.
She’d been working extra hours to bulk up on vacation funds.
Hell or high water, she’d get away from here, even if it was only temporary.
She straightened and blinked herself awake at the sight of me. The place was dead, but that wasn’t unusual for a Wednesday afternoon. “What can I do for you, madame?”
“Nothing, my liege. Just came by with some news.” My face felt like it might break from grinning.
She eyed me, assessing my expression and concluded. “You’ve won the lottery.”
“Close! It looks like I’m getting promoted.” I made a frog face, like can you even believe it?
“She’s never had to worry about actually losing you before.”
“Yeah. Weirdly, having the newsroom job gave me a better perspective on that. And Evan encouraged me to be a little braver.”
“I just want you to be happy.”
“Sure, but when have I ever been?” The admission surprised even me. In our friendship, I was the sunshine to her grump. I was the comic relief. The buoy to keep her from drowning. I let out a heavy sigh. “What am I even doing with my life?”
“You’re meant to be writing.”
Was I, though? “Then why am I not writing?”
“Because you put too much pressure on yourself.” She pinched a chain at her neck and dragged out the pendant she’d made years ago. “Remember what you told me when I wanted to sell jewelry, but I didn’t even know where to start?”