Wounds to Bind Chapter 31 –ugly smells in the attic and moving bodies
November 25 – Black Friday – breakfast buffets and shared plans
"Today's schedule is shopping for the ladies, snow sports for the men. We all meet back here by six for dinner and a night of cards and board games." Mia announced to the crowd assembled in Aspen. "Tomorrow is snow sports for everyone during the day. Everyone under forty is invited to a pub crawl tomorrow night. Everyone over forty is scheduled for a wine tasting, dinner, dance charity event at Hotel Jerome. Sunday morning is church, followed by lunch at the St. Regis, followed by flying home to Seattle."
XXX
"The vets and I are working in the shop today," Ray announced to the Montesano group. "Laura is helping Annie fill my freezer. When we need a break, Laura and I will take the puppies for a walk and pick up trash."
"I'm scheduled to have an organizational meeting with your junk drawer and your freezer," Ana added her tasks to the discussion. "Saturday and Sunday I can work in the shop for you."
"Tonight, we're pulling the tree down from the attic and letting the branches settle in place. Tomorrow night we'll decorate the tree. Today the men and I are sanding and repainting the angels for the front yard. We'll put them up Sunday. Saturday the men are helping me winterize the house and put up the lights. We'll be working in the shop Saturday and Sunday also."
"Tonight after dark, I'm teaching Ray to back up his computer. I brought heavy-duty surge protectors for his home electronics. Plus, I'm teaching him to print mailing labels for his Steele Woodworks Christmas postcards. There's eight dozen people on his list – vets, friends, clients. We'll prep the cards on Saturday and Sunday evenings for mailing on Monday. I can help in the shop Saturday and Sunday also. I have to head back to Aberdeen early Monday morning." Laura added her schedule to the discussion.
"After breakfast we're heading back to Portland," José explained. "I need to spend the next three days finishing my senior project in engineering. My engineering project is a village of houses for the homeless with reclaimed water for a community garden, solar showers, wind turbines for electricity, solar panels for additional energy, etc. Elliot is interested. He has been my sounding board for the project."
"I'm providing moral support and playing chief cook and coffee maker. I bought a boxed Thanksgiving dinner, which will reheat in the oven and feed us for the weekend." José, Sr. announced. "When are you going home, Annie?"
"I'm leaving early Monday morning and driving back to Seattle." Ana explained. "Between working for Dad, I have house things, sewing things, and reading for work."
"Travel safe; I approve of Lita, by the way. I'll bet she's more dependable than Wanda." José, Sr. teased.
"Don't be dissing my previous baby," Ana scolded. "Otherwise, I won't make you turkey sandwiches for the road."
XXX
Jake Striker took a carafe of coffee to his home office. He always reviewed closed files on long weekends. This weekend was the Christian Grey files. He read and made notes. He had a list of people to research: Grey, Lincoln, Steele, Sabine Falco Keyes, Jack Hyde, Leila Williams, red Audi vehicles, brunettes at Esclava Post Alley6, etc. Striker sighed and restarted his research. Second Strike Investigations was successful because Jake Striker was like a Marine bulldog with a bone. He gnawed that bone until he could digest the little pieces and get to the meat of the matter.
XXX
Liv shared Christian's schedule, if his activities didn't make national news. Elena set Google Alerts. She cursed when he took Mia, Grace and Kate shopping in New York, but celebrated Anastasia wasn't included. No one knew or would tell her who the unknown couple was. She missed her clothing allowance from Christian at Neiman Marcus. Once Grace cut her from her circle of friends…everyone who had been her friend was no longer speaking to her. She had not been invited to social events of the season. She had not been invited to dinner in ages by friends or acquaintances.
Elena cursed when Christian took his family and the Kavanaghs to Aspen at Thanksgiving. Normally she'd be invited but would find reasons not to attend. Normally, so would Christian. He didn't have problems in the past sending his family to Aspen on the GEH jet while remaining in Seattle. Citing work as the reason, he would have four days in the playroom with his current submissive. Christian stopped discussing his submissives with her when he terminated with Susanna. The two times he discussed Anastasia with her were quite unsatisfactory. He did not heed her cautions. She thought she taught him better. People like them didn't do love, hearts and flowers.
XXX – APOV
We begin our Black Friday at the VFW. Each year they have a Christmas craft fair the weekend after Thanksgiving. The monies raised help the support-a-platoon efforts at Easter, July Fourth and Christmas. Every year Dad donates a few large boxes of handcrafted wood items to sell – coasters, Christmas tree ornaments, keepsake boxes, etc. made from scraps in his workshop. This year's donations include small trays, bulletin boards, and chalk boards made from surplus 8x10 frames Dad bought at yard sales and thrift stores. What doesn't sell today is on display inside the VFW main office. People can stop and shop for the entire month of December.
I'm not creative enough to make things for the VFW and VFW Auxiliary to sell, but the Christmas craft fair is one of the few times I love to shop. I buy Dad two pounds of white chocolate, peppermint and almond bark drizzled with dark chocolate. Laura says making bark is one of her holiday specialties and offers to teach me how. She has recipes for every holiday.
At this year's craft fair, I find a handmade silk tie and pocket square in the WSUV colors for José for Christmas. I find cashmere yarn knitted scarf, cap, headband and glove sets for Kate in emerald and Mia in amethyst. I buy a set for me in sapphire. I find a sapphire cashmere knitted muffler for Elliot and an emerald one for Ethan. I pass on the black one for Taylor and the smoke grey one for Christian. If I decide to buy them at a later date…I have the name and number of the crafter. Laura buys a dozen of Dad's handmade ornaments for college staff and coworkers. I buy for coworkers, and our condo building management. We have a great time walking around and greeting everyone before we return to work at the house.
December 2 – APOV
I'm in a mood…and I call Mary to vent. Mary confirms I am working for Santa Saturday. I received my one-hundred-and-eighty-day employee evaluation exactly fifteen minutes before the end of the day. I knew my evaluation was due, but not scheduled on my calendar. I didn't understand the subtlety of the review timing until I had time to think. I received my review when Mr. Roach was out of the office for the weekend and could not intercede on my behalf. My work was considered does not meet expectations, again. The evaluation is grounds for termination.
I was reprimanded for my absence October eighteenth, when Christian's helicopter crashed. I was flayed about the four days I missed when I was mugged. Using quotes, pages, and paragraph numbers from the GP employee handbook, I'm strongly reminded interns are not allowed to take sick or annual leave until after they have passed their one-hundred-and-eighty-day evaluation. Since I can't explain why SPD hasn't found my mugger, Elizabeth Morgan blames the mugging on a flaw in my character. Needless to say, I'm in a mood.
I tell her I received my one-hundred-and-eighty-day employee evaluation, which I did not sign. I scan and email my evaluation to her, asking for her input. I tell her I had not planned to attend the Grey Annex White Christmas Gala. However, I will attend in order to show this employee evaluation has not shaken me. Dad taught me self-defense and I'm going to come out swinging.
XXX
I call Harley and Shawn and invite myself to dinner. I explain I need an escort for an office function I had not planned to attend. We exchanged emails during their vacations. I was a little jealous over their pictures of sunshine. They both prefer Santiago to Rio – the city is cleaner and isn't a crush of people. However, they are up for company and I need some sound advice. They order Chinese takeout and we plot and plan.
"You will probably think I'm nuts," Shawn apologized. "Perhaps I'm longing for fresh snow. Everything I purchased for you lately has been white. I bought you a long-sleeve tee, a silk short-sleeve blouse with a Peter Pan collar, a long sleeve, front pleated silk shirt with a sheer double collar, sheer button cuffs and a rounded hem, a short-sleeve cotton turtleneck, and a tunic sweater and leggings set."
"Please feel free to coordinate my closet any time," I laughed. "You need to educate me about different kinds of collars. I haven't a clue what a Peter Pan collar is. I need more help…I need a white outfit to wear to the Grey Annex White Christmas Gala tomorrow at the Fairmont Olympia. I hope you will loan Harley to be a buffer between me and my boss. I don't feel like putting up with Hyde if he's drinking. I might lose my temper and knock him on his smarmy ass."
Harley suggests we spend the night at the Fairmont, in a suite. He'll bring my ensemble to the hotel. I'm working at the Santa Saturday at WSCC for the Women's Health Clinic until two. I'm running a reading corner again. I will not think about getting mugged by Christian's ex-subbie. Shawn suggests I visit Fairmont's salon and spa, getting my hair, nails and makeup done after Santa Saturday and before the Gala.
Harley and I practice dancing with one another to support the subterfuge. Shawn gives me tips on walking, standing and moving in proximity to Harley so we look comfortable with one another. We play 20 Questions with one another so our backstory is plausible. I thank them for dinner and leave. I think about what Harley told me. He anticipates Jack Hyde and Elena Lincoln will be arrested before the end of the year.
December 3 – APOV
Mary came to check on me during the Santa Saturday. "That was a shitty evaluation," she agreed. "Now what are you going to do?"
"Refuse to sign and request a review. HR said things in the evaluation which can never become part of a personnel jacket – not if I ever want to be hired anywhere. I think HR gave me the evaluation at the end of the day yesterday, hoping I would just sign because there was no one present for a discussion. As the evaluation was rated does not meet expectations, I will be given my termination papers whether I sign the review or not."
"You realize HR infers there is a flaw in your character which caused your mugging?" Mary zeros on an essential part of my evaluation.
"Caught that, did you?" I know my voice is bitter. "Did you catch the part where I'm uncommunicative because I can't answer their intrusive questions about why I was mugged?"
"Yes," Mary assured me. "I apologize for not getting back to you sooner; I needed time to think. I've addressed my concerns in a separate email I sent this morning. How's the volunteering coming?"
"I like this…I might volunteer more often," I grinned. "Volunteering makes me feel better about my life."
"Just make sure you get your picture taken with the kids," Mary advised. "I want to know your boss's reaction when he sees a picture of you in the papers. You look great by the way."
I am wearing the new white tunic sweater and leggings Shawn bought for my wardrobe, along with a pair of white flats from Kate's closet. My hair is in a ponytail, secured with a hair tie decorated with a snowflake. Somehow, the white turtle-neck tunic sweater makes my blue eyes pop more than usual.
XXX
"Miss Steele," Taylor is surprised to see me. "What are you doing here?"
"Ana…just Ana…and I'm volunteering. I'm reading aloud at the top and bottom of every hour at the Reading Corner. What are you doing here?" I don't feel Christian's presence.
"I have Sophie today. The flyer for this was in her Pee Chee from school. I thought I'd bring her for some Christmas fun before we decorate my Christmas tree." Taylor shrugged.
"Be sure to stop at the photo booth and take a picture with Santa. They'll make your picture into a Christmas ornament." I checked my watch, "I'm reading in just a few minutes. Why don't you stay?"
Taylor takes a seat on the floor and has Sophie in his lap. She's a very pretty little thing, and obviously loves her daddy. Somehow, I am in awe of the softer side of Jason Taylor. I understand how Gail Jones loves him. Taylor and Sophie both wear jeans, sweatshirts and sneakers. "Welcome…welcome everyone. My name is Ana, and I'm reading The Twelve Days of Christmas in Washington. What do you think might be included in the book?" I preface my reading.
"The Space Needle!" Sophie bounces in her dad's lap.
"I think so too, Miss Sophie. Let's find out." I show the cover of the book to my audience and then begin reading. This time, I have a PowerPoint presentation which has the illustrations scanned as slides. I have a clicker and can change the illustrations as I read through the book.
XXX
I see glimpses of Taylor and Sophie from time to time during the event, but I do my best to stay busy and not think about my employee evaluation or worry about tonight. Shawn texted he delivered appropriate clothing for both Harley and me to the suite. He gives me the room number and tells me there is a key card waiting for me at the front desk. He sent pictures of a sleeveless white lace fit and flare dress with an illusion neckline and illusion lace hem along with white Jimmy Choo shoes. He bought appropriate underwear for the dress. He bought a white silk gauze shawl and a white satin handbag to coordinate with the shoes. My only jewelry will be white teardrop pearl earrings and a pearl bracelet which he rented from a jeweler for me. Harley's ensemble is black dress pants, white collar-less shirt and a white brocade vest.
I don't want to think about how much money I owe Shawn for tonight's ensemble. I don't want to think about the amount of money I will drop at the Fairview salon and spa. However, spending my money on appropriate hair and clothes for tonight's gala means I don't have spare cash to fly home to Georgia for Christmas. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. That's my excuse…
XXX
Harley and I read the menu and orient ourselves with the layout of the room before entering. Three bars are located against one wall. Three food stations: soup and salad, entrée, and dessert are located in the back of the room. Tables are different shapes and sizes, like large presents scattered throughout the room. The top of the room contains a dance floor, away from the food and booze.
"Let's go poke Jack Hyde," Harley indicated Jack standing near the bar, observing Jerald Roach who conversed with Ros Bailey.
"Let's dance," I suggested. "We can blame not accepting dance invites later on drinking too much. We'll be interrupted on the dance floor with people coming up to say hello and wanting introductions. Interruptions will cover my awkward dancing."
We are dancing when I hear a shriek. "Incoming," I said wryly to Harley.
"Ana!" Mia hugs me. "You look gorgeous! Mia Grey." She thrust her hand at Harley. She's wearing a fabulous white floor-length one-shoulder Grecian gown. Ethan Kavanagh is her escort, resplendent in a white suit, with white shirt and tie.
"Harley Harrison, I'm a friend of…" he started to introduce himself when Jack Hyde clapped him on the shoulder.
"Harley! Nice to see you…Ana isn't hiding you away tonight!" He leered at Mia and me.
"No, we're planning to hide in our suite later," Harley casually reveals our plans.
"Suite?" Mia glared.
"If we get a little tipsy, neither of us has to drive." Harley explained.
"Ana!" I heard Kate and Elliot letting out a shout.
"You must join our table," Jack invited Harley. "Roach, Elizabeth, me and some of Ana's coworkers. We have a rectangular table for twelve."
"Wow," Elliot gave me a kiss on the cheek and a twirl in his arms. "Ana, you clean up almost as pretty as me." Elliot wears a white sweater and white dress pants. He looks great too.
Kate gave me a spectacular hug. "I thought you weren't coming tonight," she whispered in my ear. "You could have come with us." She's wearing white velvet palazzo pants with a white cashmere wrap top and some spectacular diamond earrings.
I kissed her cheek, hurriedly and whispered "STFU!"
"Are you sitting with us?" Kate smiled at Harley.
"Yes, do! Mia insisted. "I have a round table for six, there is space for the two of you."
"We'd love to!" Harley accepted.
"I was hoping to talk economics with you," Jack complained to Harley.
"Sorry, every time I talk work tonight, I'm being fined one hundred dollars." Harley shrugs.
"Well, Ana has to pay for that outfit somehow," Jack sniped, walking away to harass other people.
"Jesus, Ana – how can you stand to work for that bastard?" Kate is ready to kick his ass, and she hasn't started drinking yet.
"He is what he is. We're here to have a good time. No one talks about work," I hold Harley's hand to walk to Mia's table. "I read the white food menu. Mia, did you coordinate this?"
"With a little help from me," Elliot grinned. "I'm the reason there's white chili and white pizza on the menu."
"Thank you!" Harley gushed. "I was worried about using the right fork tonight." He winked at me. "I'm thrilled with the food stations."
The ballroom is decorated in white with several white banners proclaiming the names of various companies housed in Grey Annex. White Christmas trees decorated with white ornaments, white lights, white snowflakes and white lace garland filled the corners of the room. Tables are covered in white linens with white covered chairs. Tablescapes included crystal bowls holding crystal candlesticks with white candles, miniature white wrapped gifts and miniature white ornaments.
"Yes, you like?" Mia preened.
"Spectacular," I assured her. "How are the plans coming for our girls' only Christmas tea?"
"Really well," she laughed. "Kate and I are working on the entertainment. Her December article comes out next Sunday. She's taking pictures of your tea table and tablescape to email to Seattle Times before the festivities begin."
Our party theme next week is Peppermint Party. Mia rented a dozen dishes and serving pieces in peppermint stripe. The tablecloth is white and the napkins red. The centerpiece is two hurricane candle holders with white candles, surrounded by peppermint swirl candies. Between the hurricane candle holders will be over a dozen red embossed or flocked ornaments. Our décor coordinates with the wreath of white silk roses, red berries and greens Mom sent Kate for Christmas. Mia found a dozen round peppermint candy motif invitations which we used. Partying Mia style is more intense than just beer, pizza and laughter on a Friday night.
XXX
"Showtime," Harley kissed my cheek. "Ladies, I'm getting Ana another White Cosmo, do either of you want one?"
"Me," Mia and Kate both chorused.
Ethan moved next to me. "How is the investigation going?"
"Soon," I quietly warn Ethan. "Is Jack heading for Harley?"
"Yes, he's drank a lot tonight. I can't believe he's able to walk to the bar." Ethan leans his arm on the table in an apparent attempt to talk to me but watch Jack and Harley.
"We're waiting to see just how loose his tongue is tonight." I confide in my friend.
"How have you been?" Ethan appraised my attire.
"I'm good, how are you and Mia?" I returned his smile.
"We've had two dates since Thanksgiving. She's a lot of fun and I like being with her." Ethan admitted. "I have a difficult time remembering she's the same age as Kate and you. Oh well, I'm barely younger than Christian. How is that going by the way?"
"I have issues, he has issues. We're both in therapy. Even if we make miraculous strides in our therapy before Christmas, I won't spy on him for the SEC. I know he's innocent in this whole mess." I insist.
"Harley has been sidetracked; Jack's interrogating Harley." Ethan asks me about therapy. I explain I took his advice after Christian's accident. I started talking weekly to a therapist. I turned down the offer from Christian's therapist to work with me and found one who fulfills my needs. I tell him therapy is going well…but to please not discuss my therapy with Kate or Mia. He wishes me well, kisses me on the cheek and returns to Mia's side as Harley escapes Jack's clutches and returns to me.
XXX
"Okay Steele…spill!" Kate demanded. We must have walked a mile to find this empty bathroom.
"Are you sure we're alone?" I asked.
"The place is empty! Now, spill." Kate demanded. "I thought you weren't coming tonight."
"I wasn't until I got a shitty one-hundred-and-eighty-day employee evaluation fifteen minutes before the close of my work day yesterday. Fifteen minutes was barely enough time to read how does not meet expectations I am. I think Elizabeth deliberately waited until Mr. Roach wasn't around to countermand my employee evaluation like he did for my thirty- and ninety-day evaluations. Whether I sign the evaluation or not, I'm fired Monday morning."
"Fired?" Kate's shocked voice rachets up a notch. "How the hell can they justify firing you?"
"Elizabeth explained a does not meet expectations rating means I'm fired with cause whether I sign the employee evaluation on Monday morning or not. There will be no separation pay and no glowing recommendations. She basically threatened to blacklist me if I don't sign the review."
"Fuck them," Kate swore. "Go work at Kavanagh Media. Dad would kill to get a talented and educated intern like you! Once you are out of Grey Publishing, you can file a hostile work environment lawsuit against Elizabeth and a sexual harassment lawsuit against Hyde. I'm not educated in HR procedures, but I'm confident it's illegal to force you to sign a shitty employee evaluation in order to prevent being blacklisted. Grey House needs to break up that dirty deeds duo. You constantly read for Grey Publishing in your spare time, providing synopses of books. The only does not meet expectations you failed is Jack Hyde's expectations of bedding you."
"I've decided to request an exit interview with someone from Grey House HR, not Elizabeth. I don't know why she hates me. She hasn't talked to me once tonight. However, if looks could kill, I would have died nine lives already tonight. I don't know what's up with our clerical trainee, Lauren Hudson, either. She won't help me, no matter how many times I ask. Someone, other than me, should notice she volunteers to help everyone except me. I feel like she was given orders NOT to help me. I don't know what happened with the missing email about the updated protocols for the manuscript database. I had to ask Elizabeth for my updated work performance standards also. By the way, you should see them. Track Manuscripts is one of the tasks. Only Track Manuscripts doesn't have a single objective or task assigned." I vent.
"I told you, Hyde and Morgan are pissed off because you were absent for four days. He didn't have a chance to punish you for the Halloween pictures so he fucked with your email. She didn't tell you about the updated work performance standards. You wasted six hours of your time on their bullshit – and then worked through your lunch and stayed three hours of unpaid overtime to fix the situation." Kate argued.
"What pisses me off more is, I'm following their asinine micro-management schedule. Meanwhile, I can hear Lauren flirting with Jack when she brings him coffee. She holds his coffee at breast level when she walks in his office. She acts like a fucking flight attendant…coffee, tea or me, Mr. Hyde." I do an imitation of her breathy voice, giggle and bat my eyelashes at Kate.
"EWWW…don't do that again, that's gross! What's up with you and Harley?" The Kate inquisition begins.
"I needed a beard for tonight. You saw how Jack Hyde leers at me. Hyde's leering at you and Mia just because I'm sitting with you. I didn't want him demanding I give him a ride home. The bastard might assault me if he gets more wasted than he already is. He has nothing to lose. Maybe he hopes I'll throw myself at him in an attempt to save my job." I finish applying my lip gloss.
"I'm not worried about him leering at any of us. If he gets inappropriate, Elliot will decorate the white decorations with Jack's red blood." Kate promised. "I'd be more worried about him demanding to spend the night in your suite since he can't drive home."
"Ewww," I wrinkled my nose. "God, I thought people understood work parties are just an extension of work. Hyde can try to crash for the night in our suite, but Shawn is answering the door all night, sending nosy Nellies away."
"Your boss is such a dick." Kate complained. "He shows up at work buzzed or drunk…why would you think he wouldn't get drunk here? Why doesn't Roach do something about him? If Christian knew he'd fire Hyde for drinking his breakfasts after long weekends and his lunches the days he meets with authors. Who is paying for those lunches anyway?"
"If you think Jack's a dick now, you should see him Monday morning. He's always more of a dick to me when there is a mention or picture of me in the paper for any reason. I was told I was uncommunicative when he asked about the WSUV picture. I was told I was uncommunicative about José's art exhibit. I was told I was uncommunicative about Coping Together. I was told I was uncommunicative when he and Elizabeth asked intrusive questions about my mugging at Safe Streets. I think Jack took intrusive personal questions training from you."
"I'm not that bad!" Kate protested. "But prepare yourself, Mia's already written the press release and the pictures are approved to go to the lifestyle section of Seattle Times before midnight to be included in tomorrow's paper. There are no pictures of you and Harley, so relax. You need to tell Grey House HR about Hyde asking questions about your personal life. You can't tell Morgan, she supports Hyde, not you."
"What am I supposed to say? HR, please rescind my shitty evaluation because the mean girls are hurting my feelings? Please rescind my shitty evaluation because I won't answer personal questions. Please rescind my shitty evaluation because I have a slimy bastard boss who leers at me every opportunity he has? Please rescind my shitty evaluation because I refuse to be alone with my rat bastard boss because he has a hard-on for Christian and thinks I'm foreplay?" OMG! I just blurted instead of overthinking my response.
"Why hasn't Christian done something about him?" Kate demanded to know.
"I haven't told him." I insist. "You know…I just don't understand. Christian's like the stalker extraordinaire. He runs background checks on anyone remotely connected to me…Harley being my example. So why didn't he investigate SIP/GP staff before he bought the business? Surely something should have shown up in Jack Hyde's personnel files about why he's run through nine female interns before me. I want to know why no one filed charges against him. I can't be the only employee who finds his actions objectionable and obnoxious! I want to know why he's the only editor to use interns."
"I think Hyde deliberately hires interns to take advantage of them. Why don't I research his background and discover his issues?" Kate offered. "I need an article topic for January. I could use how interns deal with difficult work situations."
"I don't have a problem with the topic. However, swear you won't print anything which puts Grey House or Christian in a bad light. I won't hurt him or Grey House. If you use me as an example, just say an intern at a recently reorganized company, or something equally vague." I stressed.
"You don't think showing up with Harley hurts Christian?" Kate bluntly asks.
"I'm sure Christian knows I'm not sleeping with Harley. He announced Harley's sexual status at your Veterans Day brunch. Mom's still having fits about Harley. She blames him for the mugging. She thinks I would be safer being a lady of leisure in Christian's life." I reapply my lip gloss.
"So what will you do, Steele?" Kate gave her hair one last flip.
"About what? I can't prove Elizabeth's three-page evaluation is unprofessional unless I demand a review. If I demand a review, more people will know GP thinks I'm deficient. How am I supposed to get a decent job with such a crappy evaluation? I can't list GP as a job reference, ever. Which leaves a gap in my life from graduation until I can find a new job."
"Just say you took a break after college to work for Ray." Kate advised. "I can talk to Dad tomorrow. You could be hired at Kavanagh Media by the end of the week. Unless you want to seek another job between now and the first of January."
"I need a job to pay my college loan. Mom expects Christian will pay for my student loan when I agree to be a kept woman. Dad said if I work one weekend each month in the woodshop, he'll pay my college loan payments. I think having Dad pay my student loan is unfair since he's covering my insurance through the shop. I won't be eligible for insurance for 90-180 days at a new job. I don't know what to do about my job at GP. However, I know what I have to do right now. I can't leave Mia alone too long with Harley. He'll lose his grip on sanity and tell her more about him and me than she needs to know. She's already curious about why we have a suite for the night considering Christian announced his sexual status."
"Come on then, let's get back to the party. Your outfit is gorgeous by the way!" Kate complimented me.
"I hope so…I spent my travel money for Georgia at Christmas on this ensemble and a spa day," I roll my eyes. "Which was probably a stupid thing to do considering I might be unemployed come Monday. I could skip work at GP on Monday morning and go job hunting instead – but that negates my being here tonight. I'm trying to show Hyde and Morgan I'm not going away quietly like the interns before me."
"Well…you look spectacular and congratulations on spending Christmas with Ray instead of Carla! We're going to Aspen for Christmas; you'd be very welcome there." Kate put her lipstick away.
"Can't…even if I wanted to. I may need to work the holidays at a new position. If I stayed at GP, I'm eligible to use leave until after my one-hundred-and-eighty-day evaluation. However, I had to ask for leave before Veterans Day. Elizabeth asked if I was taking time off. She was upset when I said no. I don't understand her attitude. My leave was referenced in one whole page in the evaluation – being gone the day after Charlie Tango was missing and being gone the four days after I was mugged. I'm getting double dinged for those times. Either I used leave and should not have, and therefore they have cause to fire me. Or, if my leave is approved, then I met my work performance standards. They can't have it both ways. Besides, I need paid for the week of leave I have on the books at GP so I can support myself before starting a new job. I can't afford to have Elizabeth vex me on Monday. I might make her into an ugly smell in the attic." I vent again.
"God I hate moving bodies…" Kate's laughter faded as we left the bathroom.
XXX – 3PPOV
Once Katherine Kavanagh and Anastasia Steele departed the powder room, Ros Bailey unfolded herself from her perch on the back of a toilet. She didn't mean to eavesdrop. She had hidden in the empty powder room to send a sext with a risqué selfie to Gwen, who missed tonight's soiree because she wasn't feeling well. So, Jack Hyde was creating a hostile work environment; Elizabeth Morgan was covering; Jerry Roach was oblivious. No one questioned or investigated ten interns in five years? Why is Hyde the only editor using interns and not support staff? This situation would bite them in the ass…and not in a nice, tease me until you please me kind of way. Grey House HR combed through GP's personnel files and found nothing. Ros wondered where the bodies were hidden…and then shivered like someone walked on her grave.
December 4 – APOV
"Thank you for reading my evaluation." I thanked Harley over breakfast. "What will we do if Grey Publishing fires me? I don't want them claiming the SEC investigation was retaliation on my part."
"First, the SEC would continue the investigation. Second, your employee evaluation is the prologue to a wrongful termination suit. Fight; refuse to sign; request a review. Respond to the evaluation by writing down your points against each section. Section one which says you didn't meet standards: Point A: Did you not meet standards because you missed five days of work? Point B: This was never discussed with you. Point C: Make them show you the examples of your substandard work. Beat them into submission with your smarts, Steele!"
We work while eating breakfast, but before we're done, I have a rebuttal lined out. Harley recommends word processing, ensuring correct spelling and grammar. He helps me formulate a request for review to email to Grey House HR…bypassing Elizabeth. Then Harley recommends printing five copies and taking them to work with me tomorrow morning. I will need them in case a panel is convened to review my employee evaluation. I'm to arrive on time. When Elizabeth calls me to her office, I'm to take the folder with the printed copies of my rebuttal. We check my calendar, GP's HR calendar and Jack's calendar. There is no online appointment connected to me. Harley says to print Friday's calendars and Monday's calendars to prove my evaluation is hush-hush.
Shawn is next to counsel me. We talk about Hyde. He swears his badge was in his pocket the whole time we were gone last night. If Hyde had shown up at the door, he would have had him jailed for disturbing the peace. We talk about the various ways I can stay safe after Hyde is arrested. Shawn explains when Hyde is arrested, he is free to conduct a deep investigation of Hyde and Morgan. He's been collecting pieces of information, waiting to investigate them. As a data tech for the Washington Bureau of Investigation, he has to keep a low profile.
Shawn recommends a sedate dress – such as the Kay Unger tweed dress, with navy pumps and purse. He recommends a chic updo and sedate gold jewelry. Since my attire is an issue…he wants me to wear designer from my undies to my long length wool winter coat.
I can't tell either of them about Leila. I can't tell either of them about Christian's lifestyle. I can't tell Mary who mugged me. She covers my physical health and safety each Tuesday before we cover my brain issues. I need to get home to my flash paper and shake some of these cobwebs out of my head.
