Page 32 of Spike

“Okay.”

She handed me acheck and a thick envelope. “We’ll give you some time to pack up your desk, butI’ll need your keycard back now.”

“It’s at the desk,in my purse.”

“Right, I’llfollow you back.”

I nodded and wemade our way to the reception desk and I grabbed my purse, handing Alma mykeycard. “I don’t actually have anything other than these pictures and my lunchhere, so I’ll just grab those and leave now.”

“That’ll be fine.”

I nodded andgathered my things, making my way to the door.

“I’m really sorryabout all of this, Chris,” Alma said.

“Are you?” Iasked, channeling Gemma to find both my nerve and my audacity.

“I’m sorry?”

“Well, I’mthinking that if you were really sorry, and actually cared one iota about thepeople who worked here, you wouldn’t do a job that consisted of covering thebutts of people who make more money than god. Not to mention, you’reeliminating the employment of someone who really needs the money, dumping thoseresponsibilities onto people who are already overworked and underpaid. And youknow that this is retaliation for coming to you about Dan’s pervy comments.”

“It absolutely isnot,” she countered.

“I came to you inconfidence, Alma. Asking you the best way to handle a difficult situation.” Isighed. “If I were you, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing that Iworked for people who let dirty old men keep their jobs over a twenty-two-year-olddaughter of a revered and respected local pastor. For your information, I haveeverything recorded. That’s the beauty of cell phones, right? You can actuallytake them everywhere you go without anyone seeing them.”

She let out aquiet gasp.

“So, I’m going togo home and figure out how much money I’m going to take from pervy Dan when Ifile my wrongful termination lawsuit. Have the life you deserve, Alma. I hope Inever see you again.”

I turned on myheel and scurried away, pressing the button for the elevator, my heart thumpingout of my chest.

Luckily, the doorsopened quickly and I stepped inside, grabbing my phone as I waited to bedelivered to the parking garage below. I found my car and waited until I wasout of the garage before calling Gemma.

“Well, hi there, bestie.To what do I owe this early morning call?”

“I just gotfired,” I said, guiding my car toward the freeway.

“What the hell?”

“Yep. And you’llnever guess what I did.”

“Tell meeverything.”

I filled her in onmy morning. Every detail, including what I said to Alma.

“Oh my god, youbad bitch,” she crooned. “I’m so proud of you.”

“But I couldn’thave done any of that without you, Gem. If you hadn’t told me to startdocumenting everything and record all my interactions with Alma and pervy Dan,I’d have no leg to stand on.”

“Well, now you doand I have a great solicitor.”

“I’m not going tosue them.”

“Like hell you’renot.”

“I don’t have thatkind of money, Gemma. And they’relawyers.I’m pretty sure they’ll knowevery trick in the book to get out of whatever I throw at them.”

“Right, love, thisis what we’re going to do.I’mgoing to pay for the solicitor’s time. Wepay her a hefty retainer to be on-call and she’s done nothing for months, soshe’s got the time. You can pay me back with whatever you win… or not, I don’tgive one bloody fuck if you do or you don’t, but it’s important that men likethis can’t keep doing this.”

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