Page 40 of Ruthless Serenade

"Let’s go, baby," I tell her as I open the car door and help her out. We hold hands as we walk to the building, and I give her a smooch before saying goodbye. "You know Tania is coming to watch you perform on stage, right? She’ll be here after lunch."

"Mommy, I wantyouto watch me." Sharon's lips curl down. "All the other moms will be there, and I don’t want the boys to bully me again."

My heart breaks into a million pieces for the hundredth time today. I feel like the worst mother ever. Scratch that. The worstpersonever. Or both. What kind of mom misses her daughter’s spotlight moment?

You, apparently, Mindy.

But then again what the hell am I supposed to do? I know it would take long to find another job if I lost this one. And it’s not like I have any savings to live on and put food on the table for my baby girl. If I don’t turn up today and present those numbers to the owners, I am certain Christine will terminate my contract with immediate effect.

I wipe away the teardrop that escaped my eye and squat down to Sharon’s eye level. "I’m so sorry, munchkin. I wish I could be here to see you shine, but work has other plans for me today.” I nearly choke on my own words. "I promise I’ll make it up to you. And guess what? We’ll both be talking to people, and they’ll all be listening. It’s like we’re doing it together, just in different places."

My explanation feels lame and Sharon is too smart to buy it. She looks at me with a pout and asks, "Can’t they just listen to you some other time?"

"I wish, baby, trust me. But it’s not that simple.” I plant a kiss on her cheek, pushing down the urge to cry. "Listen to Mommy. Tania will record it on video, and we will watch it together before bed tonight, okay?"

You’re the worst mother, Mindy.

Ever.

Period.

Sharon gives me a tight hug. "Okay."

I squeeze her back. "I love you so much, baby." I let go of her. "You will be amazing. I just know it."

Watching my daughter run to her classroom makes me so mad at Christine. Or maybe I’m not even mad at her. Maybe I’m just mad at myself for not asking her to change the schedule. Maybe it’s all my fault. But I also know that I’m walking on thin ice at the office. Christine is an inch away from firing me. With her husband constantly hitting on me and with me skipping several workdays lately to look after Sharon, she already has a beef with me.

Shit!

Fuck!

Shit!

I want to scream out my frustration. Cry out my sadness and guilt. But I don’t. Instead, I just robotically settle into the car and make my way to work, trying to gather my thoughts for the presentation ahead. The presentation I worked so hard on,trying to make those numbers and charts not look like total garbage. The flash drive that contains all of the necessary data is safely stowed in my bag. At least that’s taken care of.

When I arrive at the office, I see Christine waiting for me with an anxious expression on her face. "Hey Mindy,” she greets me, “can you drop by my office for a few minutes? Just to go over a few things before Mr. and Mrs. Thompson arrive."

"Sure, Christine." I nod, following her into her quarters. When I enter, I’m surprised to see Albert there as well, leaning against Christine’s desk with a casual air that feels out of place. Especially that the tension in the room is palpable. He flashes me a smile that makes my skin crawl, and I have to force myself not to visibly recoil.

Christine gets straight to the point. "I won’t beat around the bush, Mindy: your presentation could make or break our company. Profits have been down this year, and the owners are looking for answers. They may even consider downsizing some departments and laying off employees."

As Christine speaks, I realize that my instinct was right. With her own interests at stake, she’s all cooperation and kindness. But I know one thing for sure. If I slip up even alittle, she’ll turn cold and threatening in an instant. It’s a stark reminder of the precarious position I’m in.

"I understand, Christine," I reassure her, trying to ignore Albert’s gaze, which I can feel burning into me. "I saw those numbers and I’m well aware of the stakes. I prepared a comprehensive presentation covering everything from inflation rates to the lingering effects of Covid-19. I have about twenty-four slides with pictures, detailing every aspect. And I also have some suggestions for increasing profits."

Christine looks relieved. "Good. We’re counting on you, Mindy."

"I have full confidence in you, Miss Williams," Albert interjects with a smooth tone. "You never fail to exceed expectations." There is an underlying hint in his words that sets me even more on edge, especially with his wife being present. I just hope she doesn’t pick up on it, although I doubt it. He leans in closer, his voice dropping to a low. "If you need any last-minute help or… support, let me know. I'm always happy to assist."

His words make me squirm. I mumble a half-hearted thank you, feeling like I’m being hunted by some predator. As I turn to leave, I catch him exchanging a knowing look with Christine. I can’t help but feel embarrassed for her obliviousness or willful ignorance of her husband’s advances toward me.

Then again, my bosses’ marriage is not for me to worry about. The real deal is this presentation; like Christine said, it’s a make-or-break situation. If I screw up, I can say goodbye to this job. And there’s more at stake than just that. If I lose my job, missing Sharon’s big moment will be for nothing.

The pressure’s on, Mindy.

You must make it worthwhile.

So, that is what I do. I settle into my office and get to work. After going through my presentation in my head one last time, I’m fairly confident that I can win Mr. and Mrs. Thompson’s trust. Maybe Christine will even start to value my hard work. If I ace this, then maybe, just maybe, I’ll finally have a stable job. At least for now.

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