Page 25 of Calculated Chaos

He clears his throat, flipping the folder open and gazing at the paper in front of him. A memory hits me of being nineteen and upset at a family reunion when a bunch of distant relatives on his side said I was his spitting image. It was the worst thing I could think of that I reminded people of him. It took Axel four days to talk me off that ledge. I was this close to booking a nose job.

It was Axel who borrowed picture albums from my mom and showed me all the pics of how much I looked like my mom and her father. It’s always Axel who brings me back down to earth when I’m spinning.

That’s when I realize everyone is looking at me. “I’m sorry. I missed that.”

My dad huffs. “I asked when your report will be ready. You’re late.”

Feeling my cheeks burn with heat, I open my mouth to speak but stammer for a second until I clear my throat. “I took yesterday off.”

“That didn’t answer my question.”

Margaret, the woman responsible for our improved reporting system, gives me a sympathetic smile. I cringe under the weight of my dad’s dead stare as others around the room awkwardly look at their own notebooks.

From somewhere unbeknownst to me, a sentence falls out of my mouth that leaves everyone in the room shocked, including me.

“I’m not late. It’s not due until tomorrow.”

Now everyone is looking at my dad as he draws his head back and narrows his eyes. “You know I like to have them early.”

“Then make the due date early,” I mumble, barely audible.

“What was that?” Dad asks, his tone sharp.

With a shaky breath, I look up and hold his gaze, pretending Axel and my mom are watching. “I said if you want it early then change the due date. I was out yesterday. It’ll be done by the end of business today.”

I swear all the air leaves the room as the tension between me and my dad hovers over everyone. After what feels like an hour but is probably only a few seconds, my dad speaks.

“You’ll probably be the last of your peers, but if you’re comfortable with that, fine with me.”

My blood boils at the dig but I simply nod in response, happy to shift the attention to another topic. I feel a soft kick on my shin under the table and shift my gaze up to see Margaret wink at me.

As the rage dissipates, a new, foreign emotion takes its place. I think it’s… pride. I stood up to my dad. In front of people. Who even am I?

“Lastly,” my dad says, sitting back in his seat as he rattles on about business. “We had a situation last week that resulted in the termination of a partner on Friday evening. Robert Davidson, director of commercial law, is no longer with the firm. I’ll remind you all of the media clause in your employment agreement prohibiting discussing the company with anyone outside of employees.”

“Can we ask what happened?” Scott from transportation asks. “He’s been here for ages.”

My dad’s face twists with disgust. “I suppose I should tell you since it’s likely to hit the news.”

My brow creases. Why would something a partner at a random accounting firm did be in the news?

“Robert was arrested for engaging in inappropriate conduct with minors.”

Gasps spread through the room. Robert did that? He seemed like such a normal guy.

“The authorities contacted me early last week with a subpoena for his work computer and evidence was discovered that he used company resources to pursue his… activities.”

My stomach twists with disgust. “He seemed so…” I shake my head. There are no words.

“He goes to my church,” Scott says. “His wife and my wife belong to the same crochet club.”

“Yes, well, we can’t always know what secrets people keep,” my dad says. “Anyway, in the interim I’ll be overseeing his division until a replacement is selected. If your employees ask you anything, simply reiterate our policy on appropriate use of business resources.”

The meeting ends shortly after that bombshell, and as I gather my things, my dad saying my name sends a chill of apprehension up my spine.

“Yes?” I twist in my chair to find him glaring at me.

“Want to tell me what’s wrong with you? It’s very unlike you to be so lax in your work.”

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