Page 62 of Echoes

“You weren’t very nice?” she asked with a small smile, trying to show Rachel that it was okay.

“No. I was upset when I didn’t get your job, so when I saw you again, I think I reacted poorly.”

“Because I got it over you?”

“Yeah, that,” Rachel told her, but there was something else there that she, again, wasn’t saying.

“Can we do something?”

“What?”

“Can we just get rid of the pretense here? I read your resume and checked our interviewing system. You have the qualifications. Everyone loved you in the interviews you’ve done so far. So, let’s just drop the awkwardness, and you be direct with me. You didn’t like that I got the job over you.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Why?”

“You really want me to answer that?” Rachel seemed to genuinely want to know.

“Yes.”

“I know you have more experience than me. And I’m young for the experience Idohave because I graduated high school and then college early, so that can throw people off, but you didn’t get the job because of your experience.”

“Sorry?” Violet asked as she sat down next to her and faced her.

“In the bathroom that day, I overheard Mark’s assistant. She said… She said you and Mark…”

“I’m sorry; what?” Violet asked again, shaking her head.

“She said to some other woman that you and Mark… Well, she said you fucked him. Those were her words, not mine. And–”

“She saidwhat?!”

“She said you slept with him to make yourself look better and get the job. Then, when I didn’t get it and I found out who did, I–”

“Rachel, I didn’t sleep with Mark.”

“I try not to judge, but you set women back decades when you–”

“Oh, my God. I’m gay,” she said probably a little too loudly.

“What?”

“Rachel, I’m gay. Not that that should matter – I’ve never sleptwith anyone, regardless of their gender, to get a job. I met Mark in person that day, like I told you. I did my interview and went home. I got a call a week later telling me that I’d gotten the job. I started after that. Nothing has ever happened between Mark and me. He’s married and seems to adore his wife. They have four kids together, and the guy is home every night no later than six-thirty to have dinner. I swear, he’s the only C-suite guy I know who also coaches his kid’s soccer teamandnever misses a dance recital.”

“Oh,” Rachel let out with a slight flush appearing on her cheeks.

“Yeah,oh,” Violet replied. “I got the job because I was qualified.”

“I guessIjust set women back decades by believing the gossip I overheard in the bathroom.”

Violet laughed a little and said, “Mark’s assistant back then was kind of a troublemaker. She got fired about two months after I joined. I swear to you, I’ve never tried to sleep my way to the top. And that’s not just because of the fact that all of my bosses so far have been men, either; even though I have no interest in sleeping with a man.”

“This is the strangest interview I’ve ever had.” Rachel laughed.

“Me too, I think.” Violet smiled at her.

“I’m sorry for believing the rumor. I should’ve just let it go.”

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