Working Girl

Chapter 1

You have one new message.

I checked the clock. 3:15 pm. That meant that I had to cram five hours worth of work into the next hour and fifteen minutes if I wanted to get out of work on time, and make it home to prepare dinner for my fiance’s birthday. I noticed the new email icon flashing at the bottom of my taskbar, but made the decision to ignore it.

You have two new messages.

3:30 pm. I knew I should be checking my emails, but with month end financial statements due in three days time, and Braden’s thirtieth birthday being today, it just wasn’t at the top of my priority list. I was doing my best to make a good impression on the Board of Directors where I was technically still under my six month probation period, and meeting my statement deadline was top priority. Tomorrow was the day probation ended, and the day I could breathe. I had received nothing but praise on the work I had done so far as the Director of Finance and Operations for the Brighton Dance Academy, and wasn’t worried; however, you can never be too careful.

Brrriiing.

“Good afternoon, this is Sutton Daniels, how can I help you?” I answered briskly.

“Sutton hi, it’s Liz. I have been trying to get a hold of you all afternoon, is your email working properly?” Elizabeth Stuart, our Human Resources Manager calls quite often for a bit of gossip when things are slow, and if she was trying this hard to get a hold of me on what she knows is a busy day, it must be good!

“Sorry yes, I have just been busy with the statements. What’s up?” I leaned back in my desk chair and spun away from my laptop and monitor. I peeked out into the hallway to see if any of my coworkers were nearby, but the office was empty for a Wednesday afternoon.

“Could you drop by my office? I have your scarf you left here.” I could hear Liz typing away on her keyboard. “I’m just doing some tidying and wanted to make sure I don’t misplace it.”

“Can I grab it from you tomorrow? I’m tied up at the moment, and really need to finish so I can get home. It’s Braden’s birthday today, and I still have to stop and pick up the cake before I go home.” Now that I knew this was not a social call, I picked up my reports and highlighter, switching the phone to handsfree mode.

“I would really like to get it to you today. I asked the cleaners to come in tonight, and it’s such a lovely scarf, I would hate for something to happen to it. It will just take a minute.” I rolled my eyes. For the five months I have known Liz, she has always been a bit dramatic. We were both 26, both new to the company, and both had an obsession with shoe shopping which had made us fast friends. We were also both very aware how lucky we were to have landed the roles we did at such young ages, and in a company where the Board of Directors were all in their late thirties or older, we counted on each other for support. I had been in her office the previous week to discuss my concerns with one of our staff who was particularly resistant to the changes I had proposed to help bring the Academy out of a two year deficit. While there, Liz had switched the subject to the latest office hookup and had used my scarf as a shawl while doing an imitation of our stodgy President. It had been hysterical.

“Fine Liz. I’ll just go grab a coffee and be right there. Do you want anything?” I quickly pressed Save and locked my computer screen.

“No thanks, I already have one. See you soon!” and she was gone. I surveyed my office as I stood up. Not bad at all, I thought to myself. I had fought tooth and nail for this job, as a former ballerina who had to give up dancing due to an injury. After all, those who can’t do.. direct. Or something like that. It turns out the business school my mother had forced me to attend as a backup had come in handy after all. As much as I missed dancing, I really did love that I could use my degree and still be involved in something I was so passionate about.