Bella's morning routine for school had been a well-practiced ritual. The two of us got ready together, packed her little backpack and lunchbox, and shared breakfast before heading out the door. This particular Monday morning was no different. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow over the streets as we pulled up to her school's parking lot.
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"I know your hair is gonna be a tangled mess by the time you came back, right?" I asked Bella while turning off the car engine.
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She laughed. "I’m still a kid, Bi."
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"Are you? Hmm. But please, can you promise not to injure yourself while playing?"
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"I'll try."
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"Thank you, sweetie." With that, we got out, and I walked Bella up to her classroom as I always did.
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Inside, we were greeted by Laura, an assistant teacher in Bella's class, who was also secretly her personal security detail. Aside from her profession, Laura had a calm and reassuring presence, and I trusted her with Bella more than anyone else. She had been protecting her for more than seven years.
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"Miss Lauraaaaaaa!!!" Bella screeched and ran to hug her.
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Laura's wide grin welcomed Bella, and she stooped down to her level, returning the warm hug. "Hello, Bella! Ready for another wonderful day at school?"
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Bella nodded eagerly, her face lit up with a joyful smile.
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"Good morning, Bibi. How was your night?" Laura turned her attention to me with a gentle, warm smile.
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"Morning, Laura. My night went well. Yours?" I gave her a quick hug.
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"Slept really well, dear. Go on inside, Bells. I'll be right with you," she urged Bella to go in.
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As Bella moved out of earshot, I turned to Laura, letting the worry I had held inside show on my face.
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"Oh, Laura, I don't know what to do. Bella wants to go over to her friend's place for a sleepover, and you know that's not possible." My heart sank.
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She sighed and said, "Have you considered… maybe it's time to talk to her about it?"
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"No, no, no, no. It's still too early. I want her to enjoy her childhood."
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Laura took my hands, offering a comforting pat. "But sleepovers and outings are a part of a child's life. I might not have a child of my own, but I do understand how you feel, dear. Take your time to think it through. I'll always be here for you both."
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Her words provided just the right amount of comfort to help me get through the day. "Thanks, Laurie. You're amazing. I need to rush to work."
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"No worries, sweetie. I'll catch up with you later. Stay safe."
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—-
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"Come on, move it!" I screamed at the car moving incredibly slow in front while blaring my horn.
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But most of all, I couldn't believe someone would unintentionally drive this slow.
Were they paid to make me late?
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Already having a crappy morning, and now this?
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As if feeling my frustration, the car suddenly increased its speed, and I sped up, relieved.
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However, my hopes were quickly dashed.
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"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I cursed out loud.
Couldn't believe that came out of my mouth.
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I had hit a wall of traffic. It seemed that the universe had conspired against me.
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I peered ahead and saw the cause of the delay – a Tesla and a truck had collided, blocking several lanes.
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I let out an exasperated sigh as the red brake lights of countless vehicles stretched endlessly before me.
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I couldn't help but feel trapped in my car. The minutes ticked by like hours as I stewed in my impatience.
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Yep. I was going to be late, and Lorraine was going to kill me.
Cheers.
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—
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Almost an hour later, the accident scene was cleared, and traffic began to inch forward. My foot pressed the gas pedal, and I raced away.
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As I got to work, the cold, sterile air of the building provided a stark contrast to the heat and chaos outside.
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I braced myself for a piercing rebuke from Lorraine, but none of that came.
There and then, I knew for a fact that something was wrong; Lorraine had a reputation for her sharp tongue and a no-nonsense approach to punctuality.
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I ventured further into my work area, passing the receptionist's desk. Winter, usually full of cheerfulness, had a deep frown etched on her face. She seemed so disturbed and didn't return my greeting because of how busy she was.
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Is she alright?
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As I continued through the office, the same atmosphere prevailed. Every worker I came across had the same look of worry and urgency in their eyes. They were all darting around, their movements fueled by a sense of unease that I couldn't quite understand.
Everywhere was tense.
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What exactly is going on?
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I couldn't shake the feeling that a storm was brewing in the office, and I had a sinking feeling that whatever had taken hold of the office was greater than I could handle. Needing answers from my friends, I hastened my steps.
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Finally, I reached my cubicle area, and my eyes widened as I saw a visibly upset Jennifer, holding Ally who was softly crying into her shoulder.
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Becoming alarmed, I immediately rushed over to them. "Oh my God, what happened? What's wrong?"
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Jennifer gently patted Ally and gave me a weary look. "Bi, it's bad news. You haven't heard, have you?"
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I shook my head. "What- no. I just arrived, and everywhere is a big mess. Just what exactly is going on? Why is she crying?"
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Jen took a deep breath, her voice quivering as she explained. "Many staff in the admin division were laid off this morning. More than a hundred people. Basically, if you had below 8.5 work points, booted!"
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"What!" I couldn't believe my ears.
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Jennifer nodded solemnly. "Crazy, right? From what we heard, it was orders from Mr Moreau cause he only wants to work with 'the best of the best' when he takes over." She made air quotation marks with her free hand.
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"Fired?! This is just stupid."
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"We're all on edge, Bi. Ally's got 8.1 points, so she's quite shaken."
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I gazed around the office, taking in the sights of some of my coworkers frantically tapping away at their computers, each person's expression fraught with anxiety. The atmosphere in the office was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The threat of job loss loomed over everyone, and the pressure to excel had reached a fever pitch.
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Jennifer continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're all working extra hard, hoping to increase our points. No one knows which division is going to be next on the chopping block."
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I go and hug Ally from behind.
“I can’t believe this is happening. Ally, please don’t cry. I’m sure something will be worked out soon”
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“It’s just too much- from my brother’s medical bills to student loans… I can’t get fired!” Ally cried louder into her hands.
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The sight broke me.
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My eyes remained fixed on Ally, her tears falling silently as she sought solace again in Jennifer’s comforting embrace.
She was a diligent and kind friend, and had always been a source of strength for me and others.
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With her 8.1 work points, she was merely 0.4 points away from the minimum accepted score. The precariousness of her situation weighed on me like a personal torment.
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I hated seeing any of my friends suffering.
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I knew that my own score of 9.2 was well above the threshold, and I was theoretically safe from the ‘chopping block’. But that knowledge did little to quell the storm of emotions raging inside me.
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I got up and looked around. "Where's Christa?"
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"She's in the bathroom… crying. She's got 5.4, so you can imagine."
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"Shit." I covered my mouth with my hand in shock.
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"Which bathroom?" I asked Jen as I ran out.
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"E4!"
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I stepped into the bathroom, my footsteps echoing in the eerily empty space. There were about forty stalls here, and I didn't know how to find her, but as I approached each stall, I heard faint sniffles.
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I stopped in front of the last stall. The door was locked, and I knew I had found Christa.
With a soft knock, I spoke gently, "Christa, it's me, Bi. Are you okay?"
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The door unlocked, and she emerged, her mascara-smudged eyes swollen and red from crying. She looked at me with a mixture of sadness and frustration. "Hey…."
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She then went back into the stall and sat on the toilet seat. I walked in and crouched down, holding her hands for support. "You'll be fine. You're a fighter. No matter what happens, always keep a positive mindset, okay?"
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She laughed bitterly. "What fucking positive mindset. I'm about to lose my only source of income!"
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"You can't be sure. It might get to our division, and they might make the cutoff mark 5 points. Or maybe it's just Admin that's going to be affected… you gotta stay calm and open. We're all hurting right now and I feel your pain, sweetie, but please stay strong." I hugged her as tears welled up in my eyes.
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God, I hated this.
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Christa's voice quivered as she struggled to find the right words. "It's not fair. I've given everything to this company, and they're just casting us aside like we're nothing."
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She continued, "And Régis fucking Moreau… the nerve of that man! He thinks he can just come in here and turn everything upside down? Gosh, I just don't know how to face this. I feel like my world is falling apart."
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Christa's anger was a reflection of the anger we all felt.
Régis' ruthless approach had left a trail of pain, and I was beginning to despise him.
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•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
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Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please like, comment and share as it really keeps me going and motivated. Thankssss :D
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Luv,
Ugo 💋
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