Irreplaceable {1}

Chapter 27

Monday morning, the office was uncomfortable again.

I was called into my supervisors office before my butt hit my chair. Nancy looked at me with concern when I sat across from her and I deflated a little, "are you firing me?"

"No," she said a little too quietly, "but we would like you to take a leave of absence until this either blows over, or any court things you or Leo have are completed."

My stomach sank, "what?"

"We will give you an hour or so to transfer all your work over to someone else on your team and pack up any personal items you may need for the coming weeks."

I didn't know what to say, I need a job, I pay rent to Roxy and Scott now. "Is this leave paid?"

Nancy did not seem surprised that I asked this question, "the leave is unpaid. Unfortunately because it is not a work-related leave, we cannot recommend you for a paid leave."

My whole body felt numb.

"Do you have any other questions?" Nancy asked gently, it was almost like she could see me spiraling. 

"I don't know," I cleared my throat, "if I have any more questions will I be able to contact you?"

"Of course," she assured me. 

After that, she brought me back to my desk and helped me go through everything I was working on to send to the rest of my cubical pals. None of them said anything as I emailed everything their way, and then logged off my computer. I grabbed the few things of stationary I had in my desk and the two books I was currently reading.

It really felt like I was being fired.

Then I walked out with Nancy. She came all the way to my car with me to make sure I was okay, and probably leaving.

When I pulled out in my car she finally went back into the building.

I didn't know what to do.

I drove to Leo's house.

When I got to the gate, I called Leo's phone. He answered groggily, "Marie? Everything okay?"

"I am outside your gate," I said, a little shaky. If I started to cry now, I don't think I could stop. So I needed to get inside first.

"I'll open it," he said quickly. Within seconds, the gate was opening and I was driving through. It closed behind me and Leo didn't hang up until I turned off my car and he was coming out of his front door to meet me.

I made it inside before the tears started to fall.

"I don't know why everything in my life goes so wrong," I said a little too loudly, "I'm a mess all the time. No matter how hard I try, and I try so hard. I lose my friends, I don't have a family, I date idiots who fight my current boyfriend, I can't even keep a job. You're the only thing that has ever gone right and somehow I feel like everything else will pull you away at any given time."

Leo crushed me against his chest, "no, that is not at all true."

I leaned against him, "you were very reassuring on Saturday, but I still feel like I'm going to mess everything up."

"You don't mess anything up," he pulled me to his house and over to his living room couch. Leo was in sweat pants and a t-shirt that was inside out and backwards. Which meant I probably forced him to get out of bed. He sighed and held my face in his hands, which was super comforting. "Did they fire you?"

I shook my head, "unpaid leave."

Leo frowned and then got a look in his eye that said he had an idea.