Page 5 of A Roommate for Christmas
She wanted to find the perfect pictures to use in her congrats gift for the big move.
Paige had the idea of creating a custom label she could wrap around a bottle of wine.She was putting together a collage of their best roommate moments to print out at work and tape on the bottle she had gone out to grab at lunch.The girls were meeting for happy hour after work to have one last roommate hurrah before Nadia started packing up.
Earlier in the day, she had taken more time to revisit her budget and evaluate her bank account to see just how much impact Nadia’s departure would have on her goals.She had to replace her washer and dryer in August, which did a number on her savings.Right now, she had enough to make it three months without an income while she started seeking clients.But when she factored in the cost to buy a new laptop, it teetered closer to two months.
The bonus check from her company would hopefully buy her extra time to get her business more established.She wasn’t sure she was willing to take the risk without this extra cushion.
Paige glanced at the time on her computer.It was just past four now, and she figured she should probably wrap up her wine label project and attend to actual work before the end of the day.
She clicked over to her email tab and saw a company-wide message from the CEO, sent just two minutes before, with the subject line:Update on Holiday Bonuses.
This was the email Paige had been waiting for, and she opened it immediately.
Her excitement was short-lived, and her stomach sank as soon as she started reading the first line.
Due to unexpected financial challenges, we will be unable to give out bonuses this year.
“This can’t be happening,” Paige grumbled to her computer screen while rereading the message again to make sure she hadn’t imagined it.But after her fourth time through, she realized that the floor had indeed fallen out from under her.
She could hear the whispers from colleagues around the office as everyone read the email.She definitely wasn’t the only one who was pissed.
How could this be?She thought.The company is getting a consistent stream of new clients.Are they mishandling their finances that badly?Sure, their Christmas parties are always over-the-top, and when A-list clients come in for meetings they splurge on catering, but surely they wouldn’t be doing those things if money was tight.Right?
No amount of speculation could change the fact that she wasn’t getting her bonus—the bonus that motivated her to stick it out at a shitty job where her ex and his new girlfriend worked fora year.
How could I have been so stupid to rely on this?
Her mind kept spinning and running the numbers from that morning again.
The lack of a bonus on its own was devastating, but on the heels of Nadia’s move-out notice it was downright catastrophic.
In addition to losing the daily routine she loved with her best friend, her financial situation just went to shit, and her plans for quitting and going freelance were now on an indefinite pause.
As much as she wanted to leave her job, she wasn’t willing to do so without a realistic financial safety net.
Paige sat in her cubicle with her head in her hands.She had always prided herself on being an optimistic person who could take blows in stride.Supporting evidence being the fact that she stuck it out at her awful job while her ex paraded around with his new girlfriend like their breakup didn’t phase him at all.
But the last twenty-four hours felt like one bomb after another, leaving nothing but wreckage behind.
She did her best to regain her composure and think through her options.
Option one, I just stay put and continue to stash what I can from my abysmal paycheck.And heck, maybe another promotion will come up.Hmm, can’t bank on that.Option two, I polish up my resumé and start applying elsewhere like I should have done four years ago.But nooooo, stupid Chance had to show up and distract me from leaving.This isn’t the worst idea, but the application and interview process could take a while, meaning I’ll be stuck here regardless.Plus, it’s always a risk working in corporate.Who knows what other companies might be like.Could they be worse than here?Okay, option thre–
Paige’s phone chimed next to her.It was Nadia.
Hey!Just heading out of the office.I’ll head to Cruz and grab us a table.
Paige checked the time, sent her photo collage document to the printer, and gathered her things.What better way to numb the shock than with a margarita ...or five, she thought.
Plus, Nadia was the type of friend who was always in your corner.She’d know exactly how to cheer Paige up.
Packing up now.Oh, and order a pitcher.
***
“Oh good, the pitcher is already here,” Paige groaned as she slid into the chair across from Nadia, pouring herself a full glass.
“Your message made it sound like a code red, so there are also chips and queso and guac on the way,” Nadia said.“So, what’s going on?Did you get passed over for another promotion?Did they assign you a new client from hell?”
