Page 2 of Holly and Ivar
Holly’s heart thumped in her chest.“And your point?”
Rita raised her eyebrows and scanned the room.
So what if Holly’s office wasn’t like her grandfather’s old one?He liked Christmas trinkets and traditions and dark wood.Her office was all sharp lines and muted tones, with gray walls, a black desk with chrome legs, and black-and-white photographs of the major cities in her delivery zone.She preferred it that way.No distractions helped her focus.“I like it like this,” Holly said.
“I know.You have your own style, and I’m not suggesting you change, but a small touch of Christmas in here wouldn’t hurt.A snow globe, a picture, a Santa hat on a hook.Or Christmas cookies in the lunchroom, a tree in the lobby.Do you see where I’m going with this?Our people need to believe in the magic of Christmas.”
“They work for Santa.They don’t have to believe because it’s true.”
Rita sighed.“Yes, but we’re not just making toys here.Anyone can make toys.It’s about what Santa represents.Forget about magic.I should have said the spirit of Christmas.Efficiency should not replace joy.”
“So if I wear an ugly Christmas sweater once a week, all will be okay?Because if that’s what it takes, I’ll do it.”She’d add it to her list.One more thing to do.Sure, it would be nice to celebrate the wonder of Christmas, but she didn’t have the time.Wonder and joy didn’t deliver presents on time or fix the daily problems that arose.That was her job.And a job she had to do well if she wanted to get promoted.
But would she get promoted if she couldn’t solve this morale problem?There was so much to do, and Christmas was only two months away.Two months!Panic gripped her, sending a cold rush through her body.Her heart pounded, and each breath felt harder to catch.
“Are you okay?”Rita asked, standing, her voice full of concern.
“Fine, but could you please get me a glass of water?”
Rita returned quickly and placed the water on Holly’s desk.Holly closed her eyes and drank it down.It helped, but not enough.
“I’m paging the medic on call,” Rita said.
“No, it’s fine.I’ll be okay in a minute.”
“Holly.Don’t be a stubborn fool.I’m getting them.”And with that, Rita rushed out of the office.
Alone, Holly attempted to take some deep breaths, but her heart continued to race.Was this a heart attack?
Minutes later, Rita returned, followed by Sanjay the medic along with Nicola and Finn.Great.Now she had an audience.
“Holly, are you okay?”asked Nicola.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“I’ll be the one to determine that,” said Sanjay, motioning to Nicola and Finn to step back.
“Nicola, Finn, let’s wait in my office and give Holly some privacy.”Rita ushered them out, for which Holly was eternally grateful.
Sanjay nodded and took Holly’s vitals.
“Well, the good news is that you’re not having a heart attack,” Sanjay said.“I do believe, however, that this is the result of stress and lifestyle choices.You were warned about your blood pressure at your last physical.”
She was.And she’d done nothing.“Can’t I take some medication for it?”
“You can, but you still need some lifestyle changes.Diet, exercise, less stress.They’re all contributing factors.”
“Thank you, Sanjay.I’ll take it into consideration.Perhaps I’ll take a vacation after Christmas.”Unlikely.What would she even do on a vacation?Lie in the sun?
“Your health is important.It’s not something you can put off until you go on holiday.I’ll have my office reach out to you for an appointment and we can come up with a health plan.”
“Thank you,” Holly said.“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.And please tell Rita that I’m fine and don’t want to be disturbed for the next hour.”
Sanjay nodded and exited her office, leaving her in peace.Needing to clear her mind, she walked to the window and gazed out at the vast wilderness to the north, and then to the east, where the village rooftops dotted the landscape.
Holly prided herself on being well-organized and a problem solver.If she weren’t, she’d never have been able to manage NED.Her blood pressure, the production decline, and the HR issues were simply problems she had to fix.Nothing more than that.
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