Page 18 of Love & Other Disasters

Eight

The living room ceiling of Violet’s duplex was white, textured, and in need of repainting. Aware of this because she’d stared at it for over an hour from flat on her back on the couch. This could not be happening. What had she done? Who had she wronged in a previous life? She’d been a practical person for twenty-seven years—didn’t steal, or cheat, or lie… usually. Her single one-night stand had turned into a debacle worse than any rom com movie. One stupid, ill-advised night would ruin everything that she’d worked the past five years for. Alcohol and men were evil, and she swore off both.

Elle had offered Violet a job at Pure Botanicals several times, and she could accept, if still available. Although, she never wanted to rely on nepotism. But hiding in the ladies’ room was not a viable long-term career strategy. She freaked out and fled after coming across him in the break room. People would notice if she ran away every time the CFO came around. Again, not a viable long-term strategy. It may not matter if he fired her.

Was there a way to fix this? Tell the truth and let it all shake out. Or walk in there and pretend that they’d never met. Not an excellent plan, but it was all she had.

The office had become a place of eerie silence since the change of CFO. They all whispered fears of what changes that Jordan Harper would make. It didn’t take long to find out. At 8:05 a.m. the first crying victim emerged from the new CFO’s office and security watched on as each had to pack up their personal belongings from their desks. Some were stoic while others distraught. Who was next and where would it end? Then after half of the accounting department left, their manager Poppy came out of Jordan’s office and snatched a box that the security guy handed her. One at a time, items started hitting the bottom of the box. What the hell? He’s letting the manager go? With the manager and director gone, there wasn’t a layer of management in between her and the guy she’d lied to and slept with.

Those that remained stayed at their desks and stared at the computers. No one moved to get coffee or breakfast. The only sound was typing, but she didn’t think anyone could concentrate well enough for actual work. Since the room was so quiet, the creek of the office door opening across the room was deafening.

J.P.

“May I have your attention, please,” he said. Everyone turned, Violet’s heart lodged in her throat again. It lived there now more than in her chest. Most of the others stood, she remained seated and slunk lower to remain unseen.

“The changes made in staffing this morning are a necessary part of the company’s reorganization. We have cuts in every department. While I understand that this is a difficult day, we all have jobs to do. Staffing changes are complete for now. I’ll be meeting with departments and individuals to discuss consolidating duties. We’ll all be taking on more work. I appreciate your remaining calm and refraining from spreading rumors.” He turned and disappeared back into his office, closing the door.

Monique and Violet stared at each other. Monique mouthed the word “wow” and sat, sinking behind the wall that divided them. They’d both made it through. This time. The empty seats and scattered paperwork that littered desks was a reminder that they were expendable. The company guaranteed no one a job.

Violet texted Elle: Frat Guy just fired half the staff. Total carnage here.

Layoffs were the part of the job that Jordan hated the most. With the door closed behind him, he collapsed into the desk chair. Dealing with all of the emotions of so many people losing their jobs was difficult. And every one of them deserved to react and have themselves heard. He let them speak their minds. The reactions were as varied as the people.

It was imperative to get the workload redistributed, but he needed a minute to collect himself. Becoming the recipient of so much sadness, despair, anger, and even rage directed at him took a toll. This wasn’t his first rodeo, and nothing out of the ordinary happened. He’d gotten the finger five times that morning, a tame group by some standards. Despite what a hundred people now thought, he wasn’t a monster. Even the people on the other side of his office door, who kept their jobs, hated him. He leaned back and took in several deep breaths. The desk phone rang; the caller ID read Bob Levy, the CEO.

“How did it go, Jordan?”

He likened the process to having a tooth extracted through his nasal passage without anesthesia. “It went well. I’ve gone through all the employees on the list and am about to meet with the teams on their redistribution of the workload.”

“Perfect. Remember, we need to reduce the debt and keep the board happy.”

“I know. That’s why you brought me on, and we will get this company turned around. That may not happen overnight.” It wouldn’t happen soon. Melvin had done a terrible job managing the financial side of the company, and the CEO should have paid more attention. This organization had the worst books he’d ever seen, and if he didn’t fix them, then that might be the end of his career. They’d hired him because he’d helped to save other companies, but those didn’t come close to the disaster here. It wasn’t his style to back down from a challenge.

“I’ve been in this business a long time. I know.” The phone disconnected.

J.P. spent the next couple of hours meeting with the teams and redistributing the most important work. The last team up were the three accounting analysts— Monique Dagen, Violet Murphy, and Bonnie Glen.

The women entered, carrying notebooks and pens. And the sight rendered him mute for a second. Her chestnut hair gathered into a ponytail at the nape, she wore glasses, and no makeup. Katia? She had to be.

“I’m Bonnie,” the older woman with bleached blonde hair said, breaking into his thoughts. She shoved a hand across the desk. “Nice to meet you.”

The woman wearing glasses sat in the furthest chair, attention fixed on the notepad in her lap.

“I’m Monique,” the black woman offered with a smile that did not meet her eyes. Yeah, he understood.

“Violet,” she said, avoiding his eyes.

Damn it.

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