Page 89 of Three Pucking Wedding Dates

When I reach Stanley’s door, I take a deep breath to steady my nerves. I won’t let them see how much this has rattled me. Steeling myself, I knock firmly on the wooden surface.

“Come in,” calls Stanley’s voice from within. I push the door open and stride into the room.

“Oakley!” Stanley greets me, his voice filled with genuine surprise as he looks up from a stack of papers on his desk. “I wasn’t expecting you today.”

“Clearly,” I snap, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “Stanley, what’s this I hear about being laid off? I go on a well-earned vacation, and come back to find I no longer have a job?”

He blinks at my obvious anger, concern etching itself across his face. “I…Oakley, I’m so sorry to be the one to have to do this. Ownership has decided to downsize the entire staff.”

Rolling my eyes, I try to swallow the frustration bubbling inside me. “So, there’s nothing that can be done to fix this?”

“Oakley, I’m sorry,” he says earnestly, his hands spread in a placating gesture. “We truly are going to miss having you on the team. You’ve been an absolute asset to our staff, and I’m happy to give you a glowing recommendation wherever you decide to apply.”

I clench my fists, the weight of Stanley’s words settling heavily on my chest. The office walls seem to close in on me as I struggle to process the truth. My job, the one constant in my life, has slipped through my fingers.

“Oakley,” Stanley says gently, breaking the silence that has settled between us. “I’m deeply sorry about this situation. Believe me, if there’s anything I could have done, I would have wanted to keep everyone on the team.”

His words twist the knife further into my heart, but I swallow the lump in my throat and force myself to nod. It’s not hisfault, I remind myself. It’s just a cruel twist of fate that’s left me standing here, jobless and betrayed by circumstances beyond my control.

“Stanley, I appreciate your honesty,” I say, doing my best to mask the disappointment that threatens to crack my voice. “But what am I supposed to do now?”

He hesitates for a moment, then reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out an envelope. With an apologetic smile, he hands it to me. “I know it might not be much consolation, Oakley, but in addition to your final check which includes all your paid time off, the severance pay that the new ownership is offering is better than what I would usually expect in a situation like this.”

My fingers tremble slightly as I take the envelope from him. I sneak a peek at the amount written on the check, and my eyes widen in surprise. The sum is far more generous than I would have ever expected.

“Stanley, this…this is more than I could have hoped for,” I stammer, my gratitude momentarily overshadowing the sting of losing my job. “Thank you.”

“Of course, Oakley,” he replies, genuine concern etched across his face. “We value the hard work and dedication you’ve shown during your time here. It’s the least we can do.”

I look down at the check in my hands, my emotions a tangled web of relief, gratitude, and disappointment. The money will certainly help ease the financial burden I now face, but it can’t erase the fact that life as I knew it has changed forever.

“Thank you again, Stanley,” I murmur, offering him a shaky smile. “I’ll never forget your kindness.”

Stanley clears his throat, a look of deep regret etched across his face. “Oakley, I want you to know that this wasn’t what any of us wanted,” he says softly, his voice laced with sincerity. “I promise to give you an excellent reference for any future job applications. You deserve nothing less.”

“Thank you, Stanley,” I reply, my voice barely audible, even to myself. My fingers trace the edge of the check, taking in its weight and the life-altering sum written on it.

“Good luck, Oakley,” he says as I stand up, clutching the check in one hand and my purse in the other. “I know you’ll find something even better in no time.”

My fingers grip the check tightly as I step out of Stanley’s office, the door closing behind me with a soft click. The weight of the situation sinks in, and the familiar walls of my former workplace seem to close in around me. My chest tightens as I try to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through me.

“Hey, Oakley,” Lily calls after me, her voice laced with concern. “Everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s just…unexpected, you know?” I force a smile, trying to hide the disappointment that clings to me like a second skin. “I’m grateful for the severance check, but I never thought I’d be leaving so abruptly.”

“Change can be tough, girl, but I believe in you.” She reaches over the desk, giving my forearm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re strong, and you’ll find something even better. I just know it.”

“Thanks, Lily.” Her words warm my heart, but they can’t quite chase away the lingering sadness. I take a deep breath, trying to focus on the gratitude swelling within me. “I should get going. I’ve got a lot to figure out now.”

“Good luck, Oakley,” she says, her eyes full of empathy. “And keep in touch, all right?”

“Definitely.” With a small wave, I turn and head for the exit, each step taking me further from the job I once loved.

48

OAKLEY

The sun beats down on me as I walk back to my apartment, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. It’s hot, but not just because of the weather. Anxiety tightens my throat, making it hard to breathe.

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