Bumped - Completed Novel

Bumped - Chapter Nine

"Dana, I don't care what you say. You can write me up or whatever, but I'm not apologizing to her," I announced as I sat down in the office of the head of the human resources department. Dana Delgado tittered around like one of those little birds always hopping about. Top heavy with stick legs, her voice was light, as substantial as a summer breeze making it easy to forget she had ever spoken at all. Except for today.

"I'm not asking you to apologize. Unfortunately Elle, I'm going to have to let you go."

"Go where?" I paused. "You're joking right?" My questioning laugh was met with an uncomfortable silence.

"Unfortunately not. As of this moment you are no longer an employee of Savage Rhythms. I'll need your badge and your key card," Dana said, pausing only to push up her glasses, which were constantly sliding down her bridgeless nose.

I gripped the wooden arms of the chair as if that would make the churning feeling disappear.

"Excuse me?"

Dana refused to make direct eye contact with me as she shuffled a few papers in front of her.

"I'm sorry Elle but this type of behavior is just unacceptable, especially after you were warned before."

"Warned before? You're bringing up an off-hand comment I made from two years ago?"

"It was an insensitive remark that could have contributed to creating a hostile work environment."

I called Terry from A&R a "ball-less bastard" for not coming to me directly with an issue and I'm the one who got reprimanded.

I got up from my chair. I stumbled over to the window and looked down, watching brightly colored cars zip along Wilshire. I took a deep breath. "So you're firing me? For what exactly?"

"Well. Let's see. You physically assaulted another employee."

"What? I never touched her!"

"You verbally abused her and you threatened her. If we keep you on, she could later sue us for allowing a hostile work environment to exist."

I turned around and stared at Dana in disbelief. I opened my mouth several times before any words could actually come out. For a moment, I just gazed at the shrine to her Stepford-looking family hanging on the wall behind her. Kids. Husband. Pets. All of them matching in color-coordinated outfits, even the dog and cat. They were moments in time captured and mounted in frames. Happier times incongruous to the hysterical thoughts belly-dancing in my head.

"Assault? That phone thing was an accident but had I known I was going to be fired I wish I did have something to hit her with."

"Elle."

"I've given three and a half years of my heart and soul to this company, and this is how I'm treated? You're just going to 'let me go' and not even ask to hear my side of the story?"

"I don't have to hear sides. I looked at the tape."

"Oh. So then you're letting Helene go as well?"

Dana shifted in her chair. "Elle don't make this harder than it already is."

"Harder for who? You still have a job."

"I just need your badge and your key card."

"The key card is in my office." I unclipped my badge from the waist of my pants and tossed it onto her desk.

"I'm sorry Elle."

"Not now, but you will be."

Rob, one of the beefy security guards, cracked open Dana's door and asked if everything was okay. Dana nodded but her eyes told him not to go too far. I didn't even care. I just talked louder.