by Diane Thorne
Val placed the small pink piece of paper on the desk then slid it towards her. Terri’s eyes widened immediately. She picked it up and held the notice closer.
While Terri read the layoff slip, Val dug her purse from her lower drawer. She removed a round mirror and checked herself. Tears in her blue eyes begged for release. Biting her lip, she strengthened her dam to keep from crying. Besides, she didn’t want her eyeliner to smear, nor did she want to appear weak to her co-workers. Val was strong, independent, always in control, and at the top of her game. She supported others, portrayed what she believed to be a good leader, and consistently gave positive feedback to maintain good morale. Everyone in her department came to her for questions and advice—even employees from other departments sought her assistance. She was the queen of the help desk, and proud to perform her duties. Come hell or high water, she would not let anyone besides Terri see her in despair.
She ran two fingers through her wavy brown hair then tucked the strands behind her ears before snapping the compact together.
“This has to be a mistake.” Terri placed the paper on her desk. “We should go see Mr Williams. I just can’t believe this.”
Val rose from her chair then placed her hand on her best friend’s shoulder. “The form is complete with all my credentials, including the date I started here. I don’t think it’s a mistake.”
She forced a slight smile as she held her emotions in check. Val would miss Terri. They’d started with the company at the same time and had grown close within a few months. They’d soon discovered they enjoyed the same kind of men, movies, music, and munchies. It was as if fate had brought them together, and they were destined to be best friends. They had moved into an apartment together and double-dated several times. That was how Terri had met Sam and Val had met Thomas. Six months ago, Sam had put a ring on Terri’s finger and she’d moved out. Val missed her friend’s company, but they always saw each other at work. Now, Val doubted she would see her friend much. While Terri’s life was travelling up to better opportunities, Val’s seemed to be heading south.
“Someone made an error.” Terri grabbed Val’s hand and tugged it. “Come on. We’re putting this to bed right now.”
Val grinned as her friend led her down the centre aisle. Their co-workers were chatting on the phones or too busy staring at their computer monitors to notice them holding hands as they passed by. Approaching the director’s office, fear crept into Val’s mind and she considered turning around. What if the layoff notice was valid? Could she handle looking into her boss’s eyes and hearing him tell her she had to get out? He was a reasonable man and had always given her good evaluations. He’d recommended her for promotions plenty of times, or so he had said. So why was she getting the pink slip? Terri had to be right—someone had made a mistake.
“Let me handle this.” Val quickened her pace to reach the office before Terri.
“Are you sure?” Terri asked softly.
Lips pressed together, Val nodded over her shoulder. In all honesty, she wasn’t certain about anything anymore. She’d always thought she had her life under control and knew where she was heading. The road of her life was a smooth one without many potholes. But now a crater had destroyed her path, forcing her off course to an unknown territory. She didn’t know what to expect next.
She stopped in her boss’s open doorway. Terri came to a halt beside her. Mr Williams was sat behind his large, cherry-wood desk. He had a neat and casual appearance with trimmed short hair and a blue, striped polo shirt. Bits of grey in his dark hair along with a few wrinkles on his face revealed his middle age. His average build and blue eyes attracted most of the women in the office. While Val thought he was handsome, she had never once considered flirting with him. The ring on his finger was an instant deterrent.
Val knocked lightly on the door. “Excuse me, Mr Williams.”
He glanced up from the two computer monitors on the corner of his desk, then back at them. “Valerie, what can I do for you?” Not a hint of a smile reflected on his face.
She hesitantly stepped into his office. The fact that he had spoken in a low and flat tone had given her cause for concern. He’d always been a polite, outgoing, and chipper man.
“Mr Williams, I’m sorry to bother you.” She stopped in front of his desk, glanced over her shoulder to find Terri at the door, then shifted her attention to her boss. “I received a pink slip a few minutes ago, and I thought maybe it was a mistake.”
He stopped typing and looked up at her. “I wish I could say that it was, but unfortunately…”
Val’s heart sank, yet she held her composure. “But why?”
“Upper management made the decision. I tried to talk them out of it. I told them how valuable you are to the department, but they’d already selected people.”
Questions swarmed in her head. Why would upper management want to lay me off? What have I done to deserve the boot? Who else got a notice? In the last four years of her employment, she’d only spoken to the directors briefly. She’d assisted them with questions. As far as she knew, no one had ever complained about her. What logic did they have for getting rid of her?
“I’m sorry, Val. Really, I am.”
His blank expression confused her. Had he really spoken for her, or was he making it up? But why would he lie? Her frustration intensified as no one had provided a logical answer yet.
“Mr Williams, with all due respect, why would management select me? I’m not a bad employee. I’m always here early, always helping others with questions—”
He lifted his hand to stop her from continuing. “I wish I could say more. I hate to see you go, but management has made the determination. There’s nothing I can do.”
His words were like nails sealing a coffin. Swallowing hard, she nodded and headed for the door.
Terri stepped out of her way as Val exited the office. “What did he say?”
Val strode towards her desk. “He said he was aware, and upper management made the decision.”
“What?”
Terri's high-pitched voice halted Val. She turned to face her friend.
“Why would…?”
Val shrugged. “I don’t know. I asked and he didn’t have an answer.”
Terri crossed her arms. “This is ridiculous.”
Movement in the distance behind Terri stole Val’s attention. Mr Williams stepped out of his office and walked towards them. He fixed his gaze on Val.
“Here he comes,” Val said. “We better get back to work.”
Terri lowered her head and walked away. Val took a deep breath and headed for her cubicle. Her friend was right about the matter being absurd. She’d yet to hear a good reason for her dismissal. But what could she do? Nothing. She couldn’t do a damn thing except leave with her chin up.
Val returned to her desk and sat down. The last hour before five o’clock would undoubtedly seem like an eternity, but she refused to let her mood dive south. Somewhere in the world children were starving. Troops were in harm’s way. Cancer patients were undergoing treatments. A job loss seemed so insignificant compared to what other people had to endure.
“Valerie?” Mr Williams said as he drew near to her.
She gave him her full attention. “Yes.”
“I spoke with HR and they said you could leave now and the company would pay you for completing the day. You don’t need to stay until five.”
Talk about a company wanting to push employees out of the door.
“I appreciate it, but I’ll stay. I’d hate to disappoint anyone.”
Mr Williams stepped closer and put his hand on the back of her chair. He bent near her ear. “I don’t think you understand, and I don’t want to make this difficult.”
Her blood heated. Was he trying to tell her to leave, or else? What nerve.
She lowered her hands in her lap, under the desk where he couldn’t see them. Then she balled them into tight fists. “Are you telling me I should go before I’m escorted?”
&
nbsp; “It would be wise if you gathered your belongings and left.”
Face flushed, she turned away. “All right. I’ll go.”
“Thank you.” He stepped back, then paused. “If there’s anything I can help with, don’t hesitate to ask.”
She gave him a fake half grin. “Thank you.” Her wealth of pleasantry was dwindling by the second, yet she remained respectable. In case she might need a recommendation or reference down the road, she decided it would serve her well to leave under good circumstances.
After he had left her cubicle, she gathered her purse and the few supplies she’d brought from her apartment. Everything fitted adequately in a plastic grocery bag.
“What happened?”
Hearing Terri’s voice, Val turned to face her. “He politely asked me to leave now.”
“What? Why?” Confusion masked her face.
Val rose and slid the strap of her purse over her arm. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t want to cause any trouble, and neither should you.”
“This is crazy. I feel like I’m in the twilight zone.”
The description accurately reflected Val’s day. One thing after another had gone wrong, and she couldn’t have controlled any of it. Even the coffee spill hadn’t been her fault. She’d sat in the wrong place at the wrong time when her co-worker’s cup had tipped and the coffee had spilled all over her trousers. Her day sucked, plain and simple. To prevent further accidents or mishaps, her best course of action was to head straight home.
Val curved around Terri, then strolled down the centre aisle. She carried her bag in one hand and held her chin up. Her co-workers went about with their jobs, answering calls and typing on their keyboards. She’d miss seeing their cheerful faces.
“What are you going to do?” Terri asked quietly, walking next to Val.
“For now, I’m going home. I’ll work on updating my résumé this weekend, then file for unemployment on Monday.”
“Talk to Thomas. Perhaps he can help out, or you could move in with him for a while to save money.”
Val nodded in agreement with Terri’s idea. She hadn’t seen Thomas much in the last couple of weeks, but they’d talked on the phone a couple of times. Work kept him busy, so maybe he wouldn’t mind if she moved in with him. It couldn’t hurt to ask.
They stopped at the elevator and Val pressed the down button. “I’m going to miss you and everyone.”
Terri wrapped her arms around Val and gave her a tight hug. “This isn’t fair. You don’t deserve this.”
“Everything happens for a reason.” She tried to sound positive, but, without any doubt, this day had been the worst one of her life. For the first time since she’d left her parent's home, she was out of a job.
The ding of the elevator ended their embrace. Val stepped back.
“If you need anything, call me,” Terri said.
Val left her friend standing in the hall and strolled into the elevator. She hit the button for the main floor then faced Terri. “I’ll miss you.” She didn’t know what else to say. They’d worked and lived together for several years before Terri had committed to Sam. Surely, they would remain friends even though they would rarely see each other.
Terri stood in front of the closing doors with a look similar to that of a lost puppy dog. Clearly, her feelings matched Val’s. Neither one of them spoke another word.
After Val had left the office she’d worked at for six years, she slid behind the wheel of her Honda and headed home. The sun shone intensely in the California sky and heated her car to an uncomfortable temperature. She cranked up the air conditioner while she waited in stopped traffic on the interstate. Minutes passed, sweat trickled down the side of her face, and not a single bit of cool air had passed through the vent. In fact, the breeze flowing into the car felt warmer than the temperature outside. Her air conditioner had worked the day before, but apparently it had decided to fail on her when she needed it the most. And without a job she wouldn’t have the funds to fix it. Frustrated, she cut the flow of warm air off then dropped all the windows. An hour and ten minutes later, hot, and sweaty, she exited from the interstate.
She reached her apartment and parked on the side of the street. The old building sat in an area where small businesses popped up every other month. People who lived nearby walked and shopped without needing a vehicle. The up-and-coming neighbourhood gave a more modern feel and left her apartment building as one of the few eyesores with its crumbling concrete. Rumour had spread among neighbours that old Mrs Osgood was going to sell the building to developers since her husband had passed. That was over a year ago, and so far nothing had changed.
Val checked for mail then hurried up the steps to her third-floor apartment. Her neighbour, Melanie, was standing at the door across from Val’s unit with an elderly tenant, Theodore Buchanan, from downstairs. Both stopped talking and turned to greet Val.
“Have you heard the news?” Melanie asked.
Val’s heart skipped a beat. “What news?”
Mr Buchanan slipped his hands into his pockets. “Mrs Osgood sold the building. She left us all a note on our doors.”
“What?” Val turned to her door and found a small envelope wedged between the crack. She grabbed it then tore the envelope open. Melanie and Mr Buchanan stepped closer as she read the card.
“We have thirty days to find a new home,” Melanie said. “I can’t believe she sold the building.”
The card read exactly as Melanie had said. She had to vacate the premises within the time frame or she would lose all her property. If she had questions, Mrs Osgood had left the name and number of an attorney to contact.
“I contacted my daughter and asked if I could stay with them,” Mr Buchanan said. “Thirty days isn’t long enough to find another place to live.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have two kids to feed. Most apartments are twice the price as this one,” Melanie said.
Val looked from one neighbour to the other. “Maybe Mrs Osgood can extend the time.”
Melanie shook her head and her dark curly hair brushed over her shoulders. “I spoke with her and asked. She said the city has plans to tear down the building.”
Val wanted to throw her arms up and scream. She’d lost her only source of income, and now her home. Terri’s idea of moving in with Thomas was sounding better by the second.
“Then I guess we don’t have a choice.” Val unlocked her door then pushed it open.
Mr Buchanan shook his head as he headed for the stairs. “It’s a sad day. I’ve lived here nearly twenty years. Never thought I’d leave it.”
“It’s a sad day for all of us.” Melanie escorted him then stopped at her door.
Val stepped into her apartment. A sad day didn’t begin to explain everything she’d been through since this morning. “Have a good evening.” She shut her door and locked it.
Val walked into her apartment and stopped at the kitchen counter. What more could go wrong? The entire day had gone straight down the toilet.
She placed her bag and purse on the countertop. The red light on the answering machine blinked, signalling a message. She wanted to call Thomas and inform him of her miserable day, but opted to listen to her machine first. Finger over the play button, she pressed it.
“Val, it’s Thomas.” He paused and sighed into the phone. “I’ve been thinking and I’ve decided I want to date other women. I hate to do this to you, but I met someone else and I really like her. I think you’re a great person, Val, and I hope you don’t hate me. Good luck.”
The sound of his cold and heartless voice made it clear he had no sympathy for her feelings. He’d made up his mind about what he wanted, had ditched her, and had already moved on. Wow.
She tilted her head back and stared up at the ceiling. Why me? Why now? What had she done to deserve all this misery? Although she wasn’t much of a churchgoer, she still believed in God. Was this his way of testing her? Why?
She lowered her head. No job. No
home. No boyfriend. Was there anything else she could lose before the day ended? She still had her health. Maybe she shouldn’t question any more in case it was the next item on the list.
Tears built in her eyes and her stomach tightened. She fought the urge to cry and throw up by thinking about Thomas. Kicking him in his balls would help comfort her.
What a lousy day this has been. Everywhere she went, trouble showed its ugly face. But there was one place where beauty thrived and the world was peaceful. She picked up her keys and purse from the counter. The drive to the beach would take half an hour. She could sit, watch the waves, and enjoy the sunset. It would be a perfect end to a shitty day.
She hurried from her apartment to her car. Within minutes, she was back on the interstate. The entire time she drove, she created a hefty list of items to do on Saturday. Need to touch up résumé, clean laundry, clean the apartment, make a grocery list of the bare necessities, search for a new place to live, and create back-up plans in the event I can’t find a job or a home in thirty days.
By the time she’d parked at one of the lots at the beach, a light headache had emerged. She’d never faced so many challenges at once, and frankly, she was frightened. After tucking her purse under the seat, she exited the car, locked the doors, then shoved her keys into her pocket.
The crashing of waves soothed her ears while fresh ocean air filled her lungs. Day or night, she’d always found tranquillity at the beach. Even with all her worries, she still found that sense of calmness. She walked near the water, inches from where it had rolled up on the sand. A jogger headed towards her, and not another soul was in sight. Most people were probably having dinner.
She’d walked well over a mile from where she’d parked before she sat to watch the sun setting. Seagulls squealed and the ocean lapped on the shore. In the sky, magic transformed. Beautiful shades of pink, blue, purple, and peach appeared. Her life was in the crapper, but, for the moment, she had a gorgeous sunset to reflect upon.
The clang of glass knocking against a hard surface stole her attention from the beauty in the sky. She scanned the area, searching for the source of the noise. The water receded and revealed a dark green beer bottle. Typical. Someone had left their garbage on the beach even though the city had placed plenty of trash cans near the parking lots. Since she believed in keeping Mother Earth clean, Val rose and headed for the bottle.