Who Is The Enemy In The Office? The Lovers Or The Ex?
Day 127 of The Andie Chronicles
I loathe being the first person to a meeting. But it’s a curse; I am unable to be late and I especially can’t keep people waiting.
It goes against how I care about people. Running late also stresses me out. Add that to a list of things stressing me out since my ex and I parted ways.
Yet, when I’m sitting in a vapid meeting palace, like Douglas’ meeting room, or board room as he’s recently coined it, I feel like an asshole for waiting.
Being kept waiting, right now, it’s an abuse of my kindness and patience. And by people who are meant to love me, no less.
I watched the hallway for some time. More of Douglas’ staff, who I had introduced myself to but refused to look me in the eye, scuttled by. A waif life woman, in a beautiful grey pinafore, saw me sitting alone in the room and walked the other way.
I keep wondering what they know about me; am I the dreaded ex?
Was I the enemy?
Were they ignoring me because they had some strange sense of loyalty to their tyrant boss?
I promised myself not to give up on making connections with them. One battle at a time, I mused.
GG arrived first. She was alight with energy. “First full day in the office,” she declared. I noticed her attire, dressed in the same corporate vogue appropriate for her former role at the bank.
Every time we used to go shopping for work clothes, GG would call her stuffy corporate look, “yawn couture”. Now she was out of that world, she continued the style. Strange, I thought to myself, very unlike the chic GG I knew.
Sophia walked arm in arm with James, who sat close to me.
“Babe, are you excited?”
I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I feared looking like the deer in headlights.
“Of course. It’s a big day.”
“I think you’re going to love your role. Designer for Highway. I can picture it on your Insta profile. By the way, I told Douglas we’re not doing business cards. Way too old school.”
I felt my teeth showing like I was smiling, but inside, I was collapsing at the news. Designer. Not Head Designer. Not Chief Brand Officer. Not CEO of Highway, as I should be. Just a designer.
I know what you’re thinking about me, right now. I’m this conceded millennial, who believes I’m above where I am now.
But we’re talking about my business, here. My ex was never meant to be part of this. I didn’t agree to this merger or ambush I saw it. My friends strongarmed me.
And after all that, I was a mere cog in the system?
It was a slap. A gross infliction of pain. Another one to add to the list. And as I sat there, I felt myself having to endure it.
“Has your role been defined?” When I asked James the question, I knew it had been, but I wanted to find out before Douglas announced it.
“Yep. Creative Designer. Basically overseeing the brand.”
So James is my boss, I calculated. Great, another man in my life assuming power over me.
“Wow,” I stumbled the words out, “That’s an impressive title.”
I paused.
“Not as impressive as the one we had hoped for you, back at 1 Lovelock Drive. But I’m sure this will be ok.”
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
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