Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“Storm?” I repeated, standing up and peering out my door. My little office had no windows. I was surprised to see the heavy snow swirling around outside from the window across the office.
“Wow. They forecast a few flakes,” I said, shocked.
“They updated it an hour ago, and now they’re calling it the storm of the season. We’re asking all the parents to pick up their kids. They’re advising people to head home and get off the roads.”
“I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
I headed to Ms. Wells’s office, knocking on her door. I noticed a lot of desks were empty as I went past the other offices.
She glanced up, the perpetual frown on her face evident. “Yes.”
“I have to leave.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The storm outside. I have to get my son.”
She glanced at the clock. “You have two more hours until you can leave.”
I shook my head. “I have to leave now. I have no choice.”
“I said no.”
Anger grabbed hold of me. “I haven’t taken a lunch in weeks. Or a break. I’m not asking permission. Half the staff has already left. I have to get my son.”
“I’ll dock your pay a full day unless you work it.”
“I’ll report you to HR.”
She shrugged as if she couldn’t care less. “I have lots to share with them about your attitude.”
I was done. “I have no idea why you dislike me so much, but do whatever the hell you want. I’m going to pick up my son now.”
“You’re fired.”
I blinked. “What?”
“You leave, and I’m letting you go. Take your personal things, and don’t come back.”
I pulled off my pass and flung it on the floor. I rushed to my little office, grabbing the few things I had. A picture of AJ. A pencil holder he’d made me for Christmas. A couple of small items. I didn’t have much. Ms. Wells stood in my door, watching me, her gaze cold and unfeeling. I ignored her, adding my shoes to the bag and pulling on my boots and coat. I felt ill and wanted to cry, but I refused to let her see.
I didn’t touch the work on my desk or the computer. I pushed past her, and she followed me to the door. I blinked away the moisture building, grateful not many people were around to see this, and I walked out the front door, the icy cold temperature and the snow hitting me in the face.
I couldn’t think of what had just happened. I had to get my son and make it home. That was my priority. I would call the owner of the company and try to tell my side of the story later. I would let my old boss know what had happened. Maybe he could help find me another job. I knew I could never work for that woman again.
Then I put aside all other thoughts and headed to the day care.
AJ and I stumbled into the apartment, cold and shivering. The temperature had dropped, the buses were crammed full, and we’d had no choice but to walk after two buses passed by us so full, people were jammed against the door. Normally, it was about twenty minutes, but with the snow and wind, plus the ice everywhere, it took longer. The apartment felt warmer than the outside but not by much. I hung our wet coats in the bathroom, and we changed into dry clothes. I found a note under my door from Mrs. Watson saying her son had come and gotten her and she would be staying with him. “Use anything you need,” her note read.
Her dryer would come in handy, but first, we needed to warm up.
AJ huddled on the sofa, his eyes big as the heavy snow hit our window. I made a cup of coffee and sat beside him, needing a moment to gather my thoughts. I turned on the TV, the local news broadcasting the weather warnings and the city asking people to stay off the streets. Buses were no longer running, malls were closing, shelters were already full, and only essential services would be available.
I had tried to call Asher, but the call went straight to voice mail. He was in Kingston at an all-day meeting, and I wasn’t sure he would make it back to town, given the weather. AJ and I were on our own.
I heard the sudden loud clunk that indicated the heating had gone out, and I shut my eyes. My head was spinning. I had lost my job, we had no heat, Asher wasn’t around, and it was only AJ and me. It couldn’t get much worse. I struggled to stay calm, deciding to push aside the job crisis until this one was over.
I plugged in the heater in the living room, deciding AJ would sleep with me out here so we could both stay warm. I heated some soup and made sandwiches, the routine helping to soothe me. We had gone through winter storms before and been fine. We would be again.