Page 108 of The Brave and the Reckless

I considered staying for the show afterward, but my throat closed up at the thought of seeing someone else in my costume. Playing Annie Lou wasn’t what I’d envisioned for myself, but it was so much fun. Between the excited kids and the show itself, I also got to spend all my time with the people I cared about in a place designed to make everyone’s days brighter. Maybe it wasn’t what I was going to spend the rest of my life doing, but I wasn’t ready to give it up yet.

That’s what I had to talk to Renee about.

“I want to come back,” I said in the firmest voice I could manage. I sat in Renee’s office, shoulders squared and hands clutched together to stop them from trembling. I hadn’t even been this nervous for my med school interviews. Those had been based on my merit and my grades, which had been impeccable. My Bravetown record wasn’t as impeccable though. “I know that leaving without a heads-up after the accident was a horrible thing to do, but in my defense, I wouldn’t be able to do the show right now anyway, or even help in the stables or anything. With the shoulder, I mean. So I would have been useless either way. But when I’m better, Noah and I will do the Ace and Annie thing permanently if you still want us to.”

It was the one thing I knew I could bring to the table.Over the last few days, Noah had given me a bit more insight into his profiles. He’d been putting in very little effort since day one. All he had to do was raise his brows, smirk, flex his gloved hands and his biceps, and the views tumbled in. It was an easy side hustle for him. Or had been. After Lucas’s footage of the three of us had run out, people kept asking for more. Both their comment sections were full of it. A lot of them were particularly asking for a part two of a video that had gone a little viral. That dynamic was the one thing I brought to the table. Especially since Noah said there was no one else he’d ever indulge like this. I was the only one who got more Ace Ryder if I asked him for it.

Renee tapped her pen against the open file on her desk, with my almost empty CV at the very top of it. “Well, I think we need to clear something up first. It says medical leave of absence in your employee file.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Judging by the way you just tried to talk me into giving you a job, it sounds like you resigned. But I never received a resignation from you.”

“But I left. I didn’t even tell anyone. I just… I left.”

Renee crossed her arms in front of her chest and regarded me with raised brows. “Well, I have no written resignation, and as far as I know, you’re recovering from an occupational injury. Where and how you do that is legally none of my business. I do have some insurance forms for you to fill out, though, and a meeting with HR you’ll have to attend. Once you feel well enough.”

“Oh. Wait. So I’m not fired? I’m still Annie Lou?” That didn’t seem right. Sure, I’d had an accident, but besidesbeing inconsiderate, I must have broken a bunch of clauses in my work contract by running off without notice. At the very least, they would have needed a doctor’s note to confirm my medical leave.

“Yes, Esra,” Renee sighed, and her face softened into a smile, “you’re still the Pretty Annie Lou.”

“And that other girl…”

“I’ve decided to start casting understudies for our lead roles. I hear they’re becoming quite popular.”

“Oh.”Oh. I still had my job. I got to come back. The bridges I thought I’d burned seemed just a little charred. Tears started pricking in my eyes. Everyone had just welcomed me back. Unconditionally. “I guess I should tell you that I won’t need my room anymore. You can reassign it.”

“All right. You’ll need to get your stuff out. I believe your parents tried to send someone to pick up your things, but I hadn’t heard from you and I couldn’t find your signature on any of the paperwork. And then the movers had the audacity to throw a tantrum.” She smirked and twirled her finger by her temple. “As if I was going to let a bunch of strange men on to Bravetown property to rummage through my employee’s belongings.”

“It’s all still there?” Dad had only said he’d hired movers and that they were delayed. He’d taken on the task and had never even mentioned that my signature might be needed.

“Just as you left it.” Renee held out a box of tissues. I hadn’t noticed the tears spilling down my cheeks. “Before you leave, we should discuss the consequences for your… mishap in the Haunted Mines.”

Shit. I’d forgotten about that. It felt like forever ago. “Of course. Again, I’m so sorry,” I croaked as I wiped my face clean.

“I think a paid suspension will do. Six weeks, starting three weeks ago. You can come and go as you please, but you’re not allowed to work.”

“So I come back to work in three weeks? When my shoulder is better?”

“If a dislocated shoulder that didn’t require surgery takes six weeks to heal before you’re allowed physical activity, and that recovery time just so happens to line up with the suspension, then yes.” She tried to put on a nonchalant face as she waved her hand through the air. As if I hadn’t noticed her explicitly mentioning it was apaidsuspension as well.

“Thank you, Renee.” I wasn’t sure what I’d done to deserve this place or these people. “What about Noah?”

“I don’t have an understudy for him yet. I might suspend him over Christmas. We’ll see.” She sighed. “I’ll have a firm talk with him as well and then we’ll have to get the two of you booked in forthatHR meeting. You’re really making sure Liz works for her money this year, huh?”

“You haven’t talked to him yet?” I’d asked her to give me the chance to discuss the situation privately first, but I would have expected her to disregard that after I left.

“No, not yet. I figured it could wait until you felt better.” She snapped the file on her desk shut, signaling that she was pretty much done talking to me. “And Esra?”

“Yes?” I braced myself for one last jab about how I’d disappointed her or how she’d expected more from me.

“Welcome home.”

“Thank you.” Another tear spilled over my lashes, and I quickly wiped it away with the tissue.

When I walked out of Renee’s office, Vivi was about to leave her desk as well, but she took one look at me and sat me down in her chair.

“You look like you just got fired and I know you didn’t,” she said and opened one of her desk drawers. It was filled to the brim with makeup. She had me fixed up and looking better than before in less than ten minutes.

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