Page 6

Maybe she needs charity.
Ding!
The chime of the elevator snaps me out of my thoughts. I freeze when, beyond the doors, I see people crowding the hallway and peeking out of their cubicles. Heads turn in my direction. It feels like they’re all staring at me. Laughing at me.
Look at us with our non-damaged stilettos and our ‘real’ jobs.
I try to keep my head up, but I feel the weight of shame bearing down on me. In that moment, I’m an insecure teenager all over again.
Sleeping in my mom’s car.
Wearing hand-me-downs from the lost and found.
Eating free lunches alone in the cafeteria.
I curl my fingers into fists and keep walking forward when everything inside me wants to run away and hide.
Left. Right. Left. Right.
The sound of trolley wheels knocks me back. I jump out of the way just in time for a tray filled with delicate desserts to zoom past me.
“What the…” I blink rapidly and note the long line of dessert trays being whisked into the boardroom.
A light clicks on in my head. I’d been so caught up in myself that I assumed the employees lurking around were there to make fun of me.
With new eyes, I study the activity and realize no one is paying me any attention. People are whispering excitedly to each other. Women are doing their makeup. I sense the tension in the air and feel relief.
Something’s happening.
Something that has nothing to do with me.
I wipe my sweaty palm on my skirt and re-enter the board room with a little more confidence.
Winifred is flitting around the desserts, barking orders. My eyes bug when I see the table that was bare during our presentation is now overflowing with food and drinks.
“How’s my teeth?” Winifred asks, baring his choppers at one of his assistants.
The guy lifts two thumbs up.
Winifred smiles wider. Suddenly, his attention shifts to me and that smile gets sucked into a frightened look. He leans back as if he thinks I’m going to swing at him.
“What are you doing here, Miss Maura?”
“Just here for my laptop,” I mumble.
“Take it.” He flits his fingers at me like I’m one of those pigeons in the park. “Quick. And use the stairs rather than the elevators. We have an important guest coming.” Winifred’s eyes drag down to my shoes with a measured frown. “I don’t want him to think you work here.”
My lips twist into a scowl.Maybe I should have let Laura deck him. Maybe I should go totally insane and deck him myself.
Imagining my fist sinking into Winifred’s cheek makes me feel better.
At least I stand up for myself in my imagination.
Eager to leave, I grab my laptop, tuck it into the case and exit. When I step outside, there are evenmoreemployees in the hallway. It’s like everyone is gathering for a parade.
Is the new owner going to promote someone today?
It would explain why Winifred bought gourmet snack food and is obsessed with his appearance like a girl before her first date.