Page 13 of Give Me a Chance
“Hmm...I maybe have something for you. I’ll forward it to you tomorrow, so make sure you take a look,” Connor says.
He ignores my subsequent questions, telling me I should just look at it, so I drop it and get back on the subject of their honeymoon.
Reading his email tomorrow, my insides vibrate with hope about the potential future. It’s not a done deal yet, but, fingers crossed, it soon will be.
9
NATALIE
“Happy two-month-aversery!” I say cheerfully, approaching Rina’s desk.
She laughs, finding it silly I’m keeping track, but she’s my best friend, and she’s sickeningly happy in her marriage, so I’m going to celebrate it.
After the hectic weekend I had, the quiet of the office is a blessing. My nonna, Antonia, celebrated her eightieth birthday, so a flock of cousins, aunts, and uncles flooded the house. At one point, Tony, my brother, Jeremy, his husband, and I locked ourselves in my childhood bedroom for a few minutes of precious silence.
If you see me with my family, you’d think I was a quiet, withdrawn person, but that’s only because I know better than to try to be heard among the rowdy Italians. All in all, the soft chatter of the office is a nice reprieve. Being able to speak without waiting for my turn is another.
The school year just started, meaning the grunt of our work at the BYC is done. Most of the kids in our care come from immigrant families who have trouble making ends meet. We offer them a variety of free after school programs, includingsports activities, arts, and study help and they are starting this week.
Pretty soon, organizing the yearly donor’s gala will have us swamped, but for a week or two, we have the luxury of a stressless workplace.
Kiara, our boss, calls in an early meeting, typical for a Monday morning, so we all gather in the conference room. The BYC employs thirteen people in total, including Kiara, and we’re currently looking for a new addition to our team.
Our office spaces aren’t big, but the conference room is bright and airy, with a large light-wood table in the middle. I sit between Anne and Rina, my usual spot, and Kiara starts the meeting.
“Good morning, everyone! First, let’s do a round of applause for all our hard work the past few months!” We cheer. “Because of you, 115 of our kids are able to have better education, more opportunities, and more parents can breathe easier.”
A big smile stretches across my face. I wouldn’t change this job for the world. My smile is short-lived, interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Sorry I’m late.” I recognize the face. I recognize the voice. But my brain refuses to acknowledge who entered my sanctuary.
“You’re just in time for me to introduce you.” Kiara’s kind, brown eyes look content. I can’t relate to that.
“As you all know,” she continues, “the BYC has been expanding our services, and we were searching for a person able to help our clients with the law side of things, be it immigration papers or making the most of whatever help the state can offer them. I’m thrilled to introduce you to our newest employee, Matt Anderson.”
Others clap, and it takes me a few seconds to catch on. The bastard is smiling widely, though his expression is slightlyuncomfortable. He probably noticed he’s way overdressed in his dark grey suit and a black tie.
The BYC is a chill place, we dress business casual mostly, emphasis on the casual, so he sticks out like a sore thumb. Good.
Still, I think the predominantly female employees are too busy ogling him to notice his missed dress code, or his discomfort. He sits down on the empty seat closest to Kiara, which is directly across from me.
“Matt’s also our fourteenth employee, so I guess we’re breaking the curse of the thirteen,” Kiara jokes, but I couldn’t disagree more. If anything, having him here is a curse in itself.
I glare at him until he notices, while Kiara continues the meeting, delegating our weekly tasks. After two months of successfully avoiding him, he’ll now be a daily disturbance. Which means this truce is over, and the war is back on.
I’m out through the conference room door as soon as Kiara tells us to get back to work. Matt will get a piece of my mind, but before I can say my piece to him, there’s another person deserving of my rage.
Anne approaches her desk approximately two minutes after the meeting ends. She sighs, noticing my foot tapping.
“Really, Anne? You didn’t think it was important to tell me you hired him?” Anne works in HR, and though Kiara is the boss, she trusts Anne implicitly with all the hires.
“Kiara wanted to keep it a surprise.” She shrugs, as if it’s nothing. “Regardless, what do you care?”
“What do I care? He’s my nemesis. You know that!”
“No, I don’t know that. I just know you both act like mean middle schoolers around each other, and neither one of you shared the reason for it. I asked him if he can keep it professional, and he said it will be fine.”
“Urgh.” I’m aware my behavior is childish, but I’m too annoyed to care. Still, I leave her desk, deciding she doesn’t deserve the blunt of it.
