Round 28

S leep was still giving me the cold shoulder. My mind was buzzing like an itch I couldn’t scratch. William was that itch, and he was giving me complete radio silence.

As was my mother, who still had nothing to say on the ominous Patrick-related warning. I’d even considered texting Patrick myself but thought it better to let sleeping dogs lie.

Instead of obsessing over that, I texted William. Regardless of what was happening with our game, this was my game, and it was important to me.

Rose: Hey, good luck for today. Please keep me updated.

William: Thanks. Will do.

He responded immediately, so I guess he could have been texting me all morning but was choosing not to. Annoying. He knew what this meant to me. I stared at my phone, willing it to vibrate with another message, but there was nothing. That was all I was going to get.

I may as well have stayed home today because I couldn’t focus on my work. My mind kept wandering to William playing Overpower with a group of strangers who may or may not turn it into an actual board game.

Another excellent reason to stay at home would have been to avoid Mr. Markham. There was mild swelling on his nose and bruising around his right knuckles—which was the hand he had used to hit William.

My buzzing phone called my attention.

William: I’m here. Stop stressing.

I would most certainly continue stressing, but he didn’t need to know. He’d been so freaked out last night that I didn’t want to make it worse.

Rose: Thanks for the update and thank you for doing this.

Three tiny dots appeared on my screen, indicating he was typing a response, but nothing came through. My chest grew heavy. Something was very wrong, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

Every fifteen minutes, I checked the time only to find the clock had advanced by five minutes. The laws of logic and time worked differently when your dreams were on the verge of coming true.

“It’s eleven o’clock.” Shaun spun in my direction, his hands rubbing up and down his beige chinos. “Any news?”

“He’s William. What do you think?”

Shaun laughed. “Told you to send me.”

I smiled, but I knew William was the right choice.

“I’m kidding.” He grinned. “I’d have picked him too.”

I returned his grin, and my mood lightened.

But the second the sun started shining on my worried soul, the rain threatened.

“Rose, could I talk to you privately?” Mr. Markham poked his head into our cubicle space, acknowledging Shaun with a curt nod.

“Of course.” I stood, my legs quivering as I followed him into his office and took a seat in one of his chairs.

“I’m going to get right to it.” He offered no smile. None of the awkward pleasantries I was accustomed to. “On the night of the office party, I was assaulted by a Batman.” He cleared his throat. “Now, I know there were a few Batmen, but one of them arrived with you, and you happened to be there when it took place.” He paused. “Is that correct?”

I stayed silent, and he grimaced. The bruising along his nose spread on either side underneath his eyes.

“I also understand that you have made some very serious allegations about me, and if you’re wise, we could figure it out here and put this all behind us.”

“What do you mean?” The air squeezed out of me.

“I am confident enough to assume it was Mr. Patrick Bailey who assaulted me on the night of the party. Multiple people conversed with both of you over the course of the evening.” Mr. Markham tented his fingers. “I won’t stop at pressing charges. I will ruin his career and take his father’s company down with him.”

My chest emptied as a huff of breath was pulled out of me. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. I could barely think. I could only hear what he was saying, and I couldn’t make any sense of it.

“I’m here to offer a trade: Drop your allegations against me, and we’ll forget about this.” He gestured to his face. “We’ll cover it up with a happy story, and everyone will go off living their pathetic lives as they were.”

Knowing I’d manage no words, I pushed myself up. I couldn’t be there a second longer.

“Wait.” He bared his teeth and continued, “I meant what I said about you being a good employee. I know you’ve been working hard. I’ve seen your timesheets. I also know you’re very close to completing your studies, and I want you to know I was considering you for Matt’s position when he leaves.”

I stared at him, trying to register what he was saying. A department head position was one position higher than the promotion I was aiming for.

“Don’t answer me now, but have a think about everything we’ve discussed.” The smile on his face was forced and twisted. “And make the right choice or I’ll make you and your boyfriend pay.”

The bile rose in my throat, and my eyes stung in panic. But I wouldn’t let him see it. So I turned around and left.

At 2:30 p.m., William texted.

William: On my way back. It went well.

It went well?

It went well!

I needed more information, but judging from his brief message, not to mention he was probably driving, I wouldn’t get it out of him now.

Rose: Thank you, x

Oops. I didn’t mean to send the x. For all I know, after our last encounter, we’d never “x” again. But it was too late to delete it now.

Shaun eventually returned from a meeting and dropped into his chair. Spinning to face me, he raised his brows. “What was that about with…?” He lifted his chin in the direction of Mr. Markham’s office.

I shook my head and changed the topic. “William should be home by now.” I gestured to his bag, which I’d already packed for him in my anxiousness to leave. “Can we go? I know it’s early.”

“Why do you look as though you’re about to vomit? Did William not say anything?” he asked as we walked.

“He said it went well,” I replied, a strange smile making its way onto my face.

“That’s amazing!” Shaun cheered and high-fived me before gushing on about Overpower and how he was sure it would win. There was something special about having a hype team.

When we reached his apartment, he asked, “What’s bothering you? Something happened with Markham, didn’t it?”

“Well…” I paused outside his apartment door. “They have a witness linking Markham’s face to my Batman’s fist.”

Shaun’s eyes popped wide.

“There’s more.” I looked upward, blinking away the panicked tears that prickled. “They think it was Patrick with me, and Markham’s threatened Patrick and his dad’s entire business.”

“Whoa, slow down. You’re saying way too much, too quickly.” Shaun lifted his hands. “Okay, so what do they want? To press charges against William or… Patrick?”

“And then he said he’d drop the charges if I dropped my allegations.” I leaned my head against the wall and shut my eyes.

Shaun’s blue eyes widened. “No.”

“Yep,” I replied. “But that’s not all.”

Shaun’s face turned a light shade of green. He scratched one side of his head, his lips drawn down in an angry frown. “I’m literally sweating. Tell me.”

“Well, after laying all that on me, Mr. Markham offered me Matt’s job. He said I should—and once again, I quote—‘make the right choice or I’ll make you and your boyfriend pay.’”

Shaun’s eyes widened further. He was eyes mostly, with a side of face. His mouth dropped open, stuttering and stumbling before finding his words. “I knew this would blow up. Oh no. No chance you recorded any of that, right?”

I shook my head.

“What are you going to do?”

At that exact moment, it was as though the coin that had been spinning inside me for the last few months finally dropped, picking a side. “I’m going to resign,” I said with more clarity than I’d expected.

I glanced at Shaun, and his concern made my throat constrict and my eyes sting. He pulled me into his arms.

“I’ll quit too,” he said. “They don’t deserve us.”

I blinked against the stinging sensation. “You’re getting married and starting a life. Don’t quit your job in an economic crisis on my account.”

“How am I meant to work for him?” His panic was clear as his heart beat rapidly against the side of my face.

I didn’t have an answer for him, but I was sure of mine.