"Ms. Xenos. I was informed by Morgan Corporation that Mr. Morgan will be coming by to go over the last revision of the contract with you at lunch?" He interlocks his fingers in front of me on the desk, looking optimistic at my reply.
"Yes sir. That is correct." I say politely.
"That's our girl! The board is going to be celebrating your name later, Ms. Xenos." Eric is fidgeting with excitement.
"I'm pleased I could make everyone happy with the negotiations. Now, Mr. Dornell, about this weekends phone call..." I start to bring it up but he holds a hand up.
"Yes, I know what you're going to say Ms. Xenos."
He does? I doubt that.
"I apologize for my unethical and rude way of speaking to you. As an employee and a valued member of the company you did not deserve that. After some reflection, I realized I was taking out my own frustrations from the board's pressure on me, out on you. I will do my best to not lose my temper and speak in such a manner to you again."
A little taken aback, I pause with my mouth open to speak, but nothing comes out. When his eyes widen at me I shake myself out of it.
"Thank you, Mr. Dornell. I can understand when there is a lot a pressure being placed upon ones shoulders, that it is natural to have a shorter temper. I appreciate and accept your apology." I say sincerely, hoping that he is being sincere in his words.
"Well, thank you, Ms. Xenos. I have a meeting with the board around three. I hope to have you there to present the good news." He says, suggesting with his eyes that it was not a hope, but an order to be there.
"Then I shall see you before three, sir. I should be getting back so I can go over the contract and make sure that everything is up to par before the final signature is placed." I stand as he nods me towards the door.
Back at my office, I pay attention to Anna, noticing her still working diligently while others kept looking her way and seem to be whispering about her. I noticed her head lowering, telling me that she can hear whatever they are saying. Anna turns in her seat so I can not see her face anymore.
Checking my emails and the company notes, I answer things I need to and send a note to my secretary to come in to my office.
It doesn't take long before she's there.
"You wished to speak to me Melita?" She stays standing once she enters.
"Yes, I wanted to ask you if you know what's going on with Anna?"
Her eyes go wide and she becomes fidgety. "I... think that is something you should talk to Anna about. All I know are rumors and I don't believe rumors to be actual facts but a twisted interpretation of them."
"Please tell me the rumors. Then I can understand what she's going through with the rest of my team out there." I smile and motion for her to sit.
She hesitates but still sits down and clears her throat. "I don't know if I should repeat this one, because I don't believe it, but some say she has a drug problem. Others are saying it's a boyfriend causing issues. Some say she lost her home or was kicked out. One person claimed they saw her leaving the hospital sobbing, dragging a suitcase with her. I've seen a suitcase in her cubicle space before, so there may be some truth to that. Whatever the problem is, she keeps it to herself and regardless of what anyone says she doesn't bother trying to correct anything."
"Alright, thank you. Next time you overhear people spreading rumors and they are part of my team. I suggest you suggest to them that speaking ill and gossiping about other employee's in anything but a positive light, reflects badly on their character and the company. Let them know that if I catch them doing it, they will be reprimanded, demoted, or even let go. I won't stand for others demoralizing their coworkers and expect them to offer assistance if they're struggling, not gossip and rumors. In fact, I'll be bringing this up at our next team meeting."
I make a note of it in my meeting file as my secretary nods and exits the office, closing the door behind her.
A knock on my office door has me looking up to see Anna.
"Hello, Anna. How can I help you?"
She walks in with a few black folders that we put the contracts in. "I have the finished contract here for you."
"Thank you Anna. Were you the only one working on this today?" I inquire.
"I'm not sure. When I sent out the memo on the company messages this morning, nobody responded to me." She offers me the contracts.
I take them from her and motion for her to go to the door. "Shut the door and have a seat, Anna."
Placing the contracts down, I pull up the company messaging and see she did in fact message everyone but no one responded. She took a seat as I opened the contracts and began to skim them, looking for any issues. I knew I could trust Anna to do her job and well, so I skipped to the end where the final changes had been made. Seeing that everything was in order, I raise my attention to Anna.
"Anna, I've noticed a few things lately." I start off, leaning back in my chair, but keeping my posture rigid.
"Did I make a mistake on the contract? I can fix it right now!" Anna almost jumps up but I raise my hand to have her lower back down.
"No, the contract is exceptional. I knew you would do well on it. I'm talking about how your personal life may be affecting your professional one and not with the quality of your work but your relationship with your coworkers." I watch her, looking for all her non verbal cues.
She twists her hands in her lap and fidgets under my watch, "I haven't done anything or said anything to anyone though. Everyone else has been spreading rumors when they don't even know the situation."
I decide to come at her from a place of mutual understanding. "Would you believe me if I told you, that not long ago, I was the subject of gossip and rumors that were not true. I might actually still be for all I know." I shrug it off, even though if I am it does upset me.
"Are you talking about the ones where you..." She trails off so I finish her sentence for her.
"Slept my way to this position?" When I get a nod from her, I scoff.
"Do you think I studied till my brain felt it was dripping out the back of my skull, worked myself to near exhaustion if I could have just slept my way to this position? That I would be any good if I had slept my way to this position?"
She shakes her head and whispers, "No, I don't think so. You probably wouldn't be any good at the position. You'd be relying on us to do all your work, instead we're pretty much just writing final copies for the big contracts."
I nod. "I dealt with a lot of crap from those who were jealous of my quick rise through the company. From leaving dead and rotting things in my cubicle, spilling hot coffee all over me, having my boss call me in and assume I was stealing office supplies and then getting a coworker to pretend he liked me to try and sleep with me."
Anna gasps, eyes wide, "That's so fucked up!" She covers her mouth quickly, "I am so sorry! I apologize for my vulgar language."
I chuckle, "It was very fucked up. Not as badly as his crotch was though." I level my eyes with hers and smirk conspiratorially.
I put my serious face back on, "Can you explain to me what is going on in your personal life that would cause these rumors?" I see her hesitance so I explain, "It will be between us, but if you feel you can't I won't hold it against you. I will be bringing it up at our next meeting though, on how coworkers are expected to treat their fellow employees with respect and not spread gossip." I try to reassure her.
She slumps in the chair and leans forward covering her face, "I moved here with my boyfriend from Austin when we were offered positions here. He's in the finance department but that's besides the point. My little sister is battling cancer and she's all the family I have left. Her treatments are not covered by her insurance, so I've been paying everything I have to make sure she continues her treatments. She's already lost everything except for what's left in a small storage spot. I've been putting everything I make into my sisters treatments. My boyfriend I was living with..." She starts to sob, "kicked me out after breaking up with me. He claimed that I could drown myself in debt paying for my sisters cancer treatments, but I wasn't going to drag him down that road. The fucking prick." She grits out.
"I haven't found an apartment yet I can afford and still pay for my sisters treatments. We already owe the hospital over two hundred grand, so unless I make a large enough payment every pay check, they pretty much say that she'll lose her bed. It's a private hospital but she's showing improvement, so I can't let her lose her spot. I don't have enough money left after paying the hospital for her treatments, her bills and then also to eat, let alone live." Tears are pouring down her face, so I stand up and walk over to the windows that overlook my team, closing the curtains for privacy.
I walk over to the cabinet and grab out a box of tissues.
"Here you go, use some of these." I offer her the tissues and she thanks me as I sit in the seat next to her and take her other hand.
"Anna. Thank you for telling me." I try to help calm her down, letting her know I appreciate her candor. I look at the clock and know that Jackson will be showing up soon. I pull out the cash I had in my pocket from earlier and place it in her hand. "Anna, I want you to get some lunch."
She starts to protest but I cut her off, "No, you can take it. When I get back from my lunch with Mr. Morgan, I should have some time before the board meeting at three. If not, do not leave with out speaking to me again first. I might be able to help you find at least a room to sleep in." I reassure her.
"Thank you, Ms. Xenos." She says humbly and grateful.
My office door opens and my secretary pokes her head in, "Mr. Morgan is here. I sent you a message on your computer, but I see now why you were not answering it."
I shoot up, "Oh! Let him know I'll be right there." I hurry to gather the contracts and my purse. "Remember what I said Anna. Don't leave with out speaking to me again. Okay?"
She nods and steps out the door as I straighten myself up and turn around to see Jackson standing in the doorway of my office. He radiates sex appeal in his black and gray business suit that is tailored to perfection on him.
"Hi there." I smile brightly at him.
"Hello beautiful." He says his voice deep, low, and resonate, but echoed throughout my office and I know my team just heard him.
He just called me beautiful in front of my entire team.
Oh god...