Chapter 2

Maci let out a deep sigh, weary from the grind. She had been in her corner office since early morning and now it was almost time to go home, but she still had to finish the daunting pile of papers Ava had brought in earlier. The papers, all glossy and pristine, seemed to all be from the same monotonous stack; financial reports, market trends, and productivity scores stacked in neat piles atop her mahogany desk. Her eyes and temples ached from a result of the strain of pouring over these reports.

She leaned back in her chair, her navy-blue power suit creasing with the movement, and looked out the window. The view of Manhattan’s skyline filled her vision with its tall, glimmering towers that seemed to stretch on forever. She watched the people below walking and talking, going about their days in the chaos of the city. She wished she could join them in their normal lives.

Maci turned away from the window, her gaze now lingering on the shelves of books in her office. Professional titles and spines filled the shelves, covering almost every inch of the wall. They stood proudly, legacies of herself and of the team she had so carefully built. The sight of them filled her with pride and accomplishment.

She worked so hard for this position, and yet here she was, a misfit in the boardroom. No matter how hard she worked or how confidently she presented herself, she still felt like she didn’t belong there. Her colleagues had their own ambitions and their own stories, yet she remained the outsider, never quite fitting in among the ranks of the upper echelons of business.

Maci shook her head, pushing away the thoughts and turning her attention back to the papers on her desk. She had to focus on the here and now. She had to finish the paperwork, get out of there, and go home. It was the only way to make it through this cycle.

She was just about to pick up the papers when her office phone rang, startling her out of her reverie. She picked up the receiver and was greeted by Ava’s familiar voice on the other end of the line.

“I hate to bother you, but I thought you might want to know that a few of the board members have arrived and requested you and John in the conference room.”

Maci’s stomach lurched. It seemed like they were always coming up. Every week it was something new. She really didn’t want to deal with it right now, but she knew she had to.

“Thanks Ava,” she said, her voice strained. “I’ll be right down.”

Maci hung up the phone and stared at the piles of paperwork on her desk. She had worked her entire career for this opportunity, and now it was finally here. She was finally able to make a difference, to make her mark. She had to be ready.

Maci took a deep breath, stood up, and grabbed her briefcase. She straightened her navy-blue power suit and put on her three inch black pumps from underneath her desk, making sure she looked professional. She ran her fingers through her curly brown hair, took one last look at the papers on her desk, and walked out of her office with purpose. It was time to face the boardroom and make her mark.

As Maci made her way towards the conference room, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being a fraud. She worked hard to get here, but she still felt like an outsider among these elite members of the business world. It didn’t help that they were all men. and looked at her with skepticism. With each step forward, Maci reminded herself of why she was there: to prove herself as an equal in this cutthroat industry.

When she arrived at the conference room, John was already there waiting for her.

“Maci,” he said with a nod when he saw her enter. “They’ve been waiting.”

John understood how tough it could be for women in their line of work; he had seen it firsthand with his own wife’s struggles. He respected Maci’s ambition and tenacity even if some board members dismissed them.

Together they entered the lion’s den dominated by select few executives who thought themselves superior to others just because of their wealth status.

The board member on top started speaking about something irrelevant - as usual - while having cocktail drinks amidst scrutinizing looks on every face around him.

In the midst of all this chaos, confused thoughts and skeptical gazes staring right back down at him, Maci took up courage- she stood tall holding onto confidence inside not letting anything deter her. “I think we are far away from our main agenda here. I suggest we refocus ourselves, strategize accordingly, and you will find the answers.” And indeed, the conversation slid directly into achieving what needed attention, rather than beating around the bush unnecessarily.

Everyone looked stunned yet impressed.

“Honestly, I’m surprised you are even here today,” Mr. Jones said, looking square into her eyes.

Maci didn’t miss a beat; instead, she gave him an easy smile and responded coolly: “Well, sir, it is my job after all.”

The man grunted but couldn’t deny her logic. He spoke about the merger exploration between two conglomerates.

“You raise valid points.” one finally spoke out, breaking silence from across the table where they had paraded for over half an hour.

Maci didn’t let the recognition go to her head, even though she knew it was a challenge for women like herself to be taken seriously among this crowd. She had worked too hard for too long to have anyone doubt her capabilities.

As the conversation went on, Maci took strategic notes and analyzed every suggestion being made. She saw potential flaws in some of their ideas and knew exactly how they could be fixed.

“So, what do you suggest we do?” Mr. Jones asked, looking expectantly at Maci. This would never work if they didn’t trust in her ability to do the role they chose for her. Being the Chief Financial Officer meant they needed to listen to her concerns.

She straightened up in her chair before answering: “I propose we explore alternative strategies such as expanding our market into emerging economies rather than solely focusing on mergers.”

The room fell silent as everyone looked at each other with uncertainty but after hearing detailed implementation plan laid out by Maci, the board members finally nodded acknowledging that change was necessary if they wanted their firms to thrive amidst changing dynamics of ever-changing global economic scenario.

It wasn’t just about proving herself now, it was proving that strides were possible outside established norms; patience, endurance, determination were virtues valued, not gender or race or ethnicity - something which defined humanity better- was key takeaway from today’s ordeal.

As they stood up to leave, one board member pulled Maci aside.

“I have been skeptical about your abilities,” he said bluntly.”But today I saw something different in you - something special.”

His words surprised her but also ignited within her a new sense of confidence and motivation. “Thank you,” she said firmly, meeting his gaze without hesitation. “I’m glad I could prove myself.”

With newfound respect earned, Maci walked out feeling invigorated, ready for whatever challenge comes next.

Maci made her way back to her office to dwindle down the rest of her paperwork and emails before she left for the weekend. Some people like taking vacations and being away from work, but when having a job like hers, it was only a hassle. She just ended up coming back to twice as much work, so vacations were never really vacations.

Ava knocked gently on the wooden door of Maci’s office. When she heard the muffled reply, she opened the door and stepped in cautiously. She found Maci looking intently at her laptop, her dark hair pulled back into a tight bun and her brow furrowed.

“Ah, Ava. Come in, please.” Maci said, finally looking up from her laptop. “I’m almost finished. What are you still doing here?”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t mean to disturb you. I just wanted to confirm what time your flight leaves tomorrow morning,” Ava said, leaning against the doorframe.

“Yes, bright and early at seven a.m. sharp,” Maci replied, glancing at her planner.

“Are you excited about your visit home?”

Ava gave her a small smile. “I don’t know how to feel. I haven’t been back to my hometown in years.

“I mean, I know it’s small and all, but what is it like?”

Maci laughed. “Small is an understatement. It’s a tiny southern town with barely anything in it. That’s one of the main reasons I moved away after graduating from Penn State and taking this job. I had always dreamed of living in a big penthouse in New York City, proving to my mother that even though she tried to stifle me as a child, I could still amount to amazing things in adulthood.”

Ava nodded. “I’m glad you followed your dreams and made it out of there.”

“Me too. Now I’m off to see my family and old friends, though I’m sure it’ll be a bit strange,” Maci said, furrowing her brow.

“That’s understandable. Just try to enjoy yourself and keep all the work stuff at the office,” Ava said with a smile.

“I’ll definitely try. Thank you,” Maci said, turning back to her laptop.

“No problem. Have a good trip,” Ava said as she left the office, closing the door quietly behind her.

Maci smiled at the view from her office window, looking out over the expanse of the city. The sparkling lights shone like stars, each one representing a person living their own life, with their own dreams and ambitions. She heard the sirens of the police cars, the distant hum of traffic, and the clattering of feet on the city sidewalks. It amazed her that even at midnight, hundreds of people were still walking down the street, going about their lives as if it were a weekday.

She turned away from the window and sighed. It was almost time for the reunion at her old high school. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for it, but the thought of rubbing her success in the face of Holly Palmer was too much to pass up. She was the girl who had made Maci’s life hell throughout high school, and now she would get to show her just how far she had come.

But there was another reason why she wanted to go. It had been years since she had last seen Dawson, her first love and best friend. She had often thought of reaching out to him, but in the end, she hadn’t. Now, the thought of seeing him in their hometown gave her a sense of nostalgia.

She grabbed her bag and headed out the door, feeling the cool night air on her skin. As she walked, she took in the sights and sounds of the city. The music from the bars and clubs spilled out onto the streets, and the chatter of people filled the night air.

Grapevine was nothing like New York City and even though she loved this city immensely, something about small town living was appealing to her for the weekend.