Wake up. Chest pain.
Eat breakfast. Shortness of breath.
Go to work. Weakness.
Bedtime. Fear of not waking up.
Living with a heart condition was already bad enough. Living with a heart condition and not having the proper funds to cover it was the ab...
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Ashford, South Maddison ||Wednesday||
NINETY dollars. What I was looking at, my check, was only for ninety dollars. My time, dedication, and extreme work ethic was worth only ninety dollars to this company. This had to be a dream. This couldn't be real. I could not be sitting in this office, staring at a check of exactly ninety dollars and seventy-five cents. I wanted to laugh badly but I sat face to face with my boss and Human Resources. This wasn't an appropriate time to let out a few giggles turned sobs. But come on? This was ridiculous.
"I'm sorry," I finally spoke once my heard wrapped around the idea of me being paid this cheap amount.
I rested the check on my lap, lifting my head to meet eyes with Elliot and Dean. Only one pair showed sympathy, Elliot, and the other shot cold-hearted darts my way, Dean. I tried processing on my own and kept coming up with blanks for the reason I was being targeted so suddenly. First my hours were cut and now this. I couldn't deal with anything else traumatic. Yet, I got a gut wrenching feeling that I haven't felt the pain of the knife yet.
"Is there a problem?" Dean heartless voice asked the most stupidest question.
Of course, there was a problem!
"Umm, yes." I kept my composure, though I wanted to go off on him. "This can't be my check. There's no way I'm being paid ninety dollars," I informed him.
"Your name is on the paper, therefore, it is yours. And yes, you are being paid that exact amount. You should be lucky we didn't go with the first offer," he shot back.
My eyebrow went up at the statement. What did he mean by I should be lucky? And what first offer? I looked at Elliot with the heartfelt eyes that turned away the moment I made contact. There was something that wasn't being said, I felt it. An elephant took over the office, causing a painfully uncomfortable silence between us three. As I looked from Elliot to Dean then down at my check, the answers came to my head. I finally got it. I finally understood why I was the only one called to the office. I understood why I was being given my paycheck in person.
"You're firing me?" I knew the answer already, but asking felt right. Telling me was the least they could do honestly.
"I'm sor-"
"Yes," Dean cut Elliot off. His tone sharp and fierce.
It was clear he wanted this to meeting to be over. I didn't. If this ended then I'll be forced to live in a sad reality of being unemployed. I didn't want to live in that world just yet. I needed a couple minutes to hold on to this imaginary life. I swallowed hard to keep the tears from coming up and forced myself to speak confidently, despite not feeling that way.
"I don't understand. I've been working here for three months. I haven't done anything to anyone. I do my work throughly and correctly. There's never been any complaints-"
