Page 111 of Be Your Anything
Ellison tilts her head to the side, and I recognize the look of calculation in her eyes. “I don’t understand the problem. Sugar Cookies Bakery is amazing and should have been our choice in the first place.”
I hear Kerrigan shift in her chair on my right, can feel the irritation rolling off of Amber on my left. Matthew clears his throat uncomfortably.
“Ellison, first of all, the fact that you’re choosing not to understand the problem isexactlythe problem. Second, instead of following directions and accepting the decision made by this group, you decided to ignore everyone’s feedback and confirm with yourbest friend’sbakery.”
She scoffs, flicks her hair over her shoulder. “Lennon, I understand that leading a team is a new thing for you, but this should not be an issue.”
I roll my shoulders back and prepare to make an unpopular choice. It won’t be received well, but it’s the only way I’ll get through this event and stay sane.
This might not be the biggest problem in the world – itisjust a bakery, after all. But I can’t allow Ellison to continue her very busy job of undermining me at every possible turn. It isn’t good for team morale. Or for my own mental health.
“You’re right, Ellison—itshouldn’tbe an issue. I should not have to babysit every decision you make because you’re unwilling to work as a part of a team. Unfortunately, if you can’t do that, I’m going to have to remove you from your position on this board.”
Ellison’s eyes grow murderous. “What?!” she cries out. “You can’t do that. I’ve been working on this project formonths.”
“So have the rest of us, and no one else seems to have the consistent struggle with listening or following directions that you’ve been exhibiting so far. Maybe next year, you’ll have taken time to reflect on this experience and you can rejoin the team, but for now, I’m letting you know you’ll no longer be working on this project.”
She stands in a rage, her rolling chair sailing backwards and slamming into a wall, leaving a mark. “This is fucking bullshit,” she spits, her finger pointed in my direction. “You’re going to regret this.”
I stand and walk around the table, coming toe to toe with Ellison, knowing in my chest that this is my last attempt at changing her behavior, my last attempt at convincing her to change without reaching up my sleeve for another kind of trick.
Looking up into her eyes, the beautiful blue that woos so many and yet turns so nasty in an instant, I let her know exactly what she’s facing.
“Let me be clear about something, Ellison. If you ever try to threaten me again, I will have you fired.”
Her eyes narrow, and I can see the nasty pit inside of her as something cold and cruel slinks behind her expression.
“You think you’ve won,” she says, her voice low, “but you have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
And then she grabs her stuff off the conference room table and storms out.
There’s a beat of silence, and then Amber speaks up.
“That might have been the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”
I turn and look at her, and then my eyes fly to Matthew when he speaks up as well.
“Thank you forfinallyputting her in her place,” he says. “I’ve been so sick of her elitist bullshit.”
I let out a sigh, thankful the team doesn’t seem too upset about Ellison’s removal from the project.
“Alright,” I say. “Let’s get back to work.”
“Holy shit. You said that?”
I nod, taking a bite of my takenoko, using a fork since I’ve never properly learned how to use chopsticks.
Paige leans back in her chair and cackles like the witch she is. “Oh my god, girl. You’re amazing.”
Rolling my eyes, I reach for my water, take a sip, and then set it back down.
“I don’t feel amazing,” I reply. “I feel like an asshole.”
“You can be both.”
That gets me to laugh, at least a little bit.
We’re out at Shira’s, a fancy sushi bar in Manhattan Beach that’s normally slammed on Friday evenings. I left work a little early and met Paige for happy hour.
