“She's right,” I said. “Summer and I talked about this weeks ago. The printer must have disregarded the changes after the second round of proofs and gone back to the original version. This is definitely the one we rejected. It's the wrong stock. It's all yellow-y.”
“It is not yellow-y, whatever that's supposed to mean. It's the saturation that's off. Any fool can see that.”
I shook my head. “Sorry, but it's not that. It's the paper.”
Miles snapped the catalog out of Summer's hand. “Don't get insubordinate with me, Ms. Fuller.”
“And don't talk to me like that in front of my kid.” The words popped out of my mouth before I'd had a chance to think about it, but it was exactly how I felt. I saw Fiona as my daughter, even when she wasn’t really mine.
“I will speak however I like. I run this office if you haven't forgotten that.”
“How could any of us possibly forget?”
Flames practically shot out of Miles's nose, and steam out of his ears. “I’m tired of you, Fuller. I simply can't tolerate this anymore. You're a phony and a fraud and no one will admit it. Your so-called special eyesight is a sham. The emperor has no clothes.”
“Even if it was a lie, and it’s not, the truth is that everything that crosses Katherine’s desk looks better. Clients are happier. This was one goof-up out of hundreds of projects she’s worked on, and we don’t know for certain that it was her fault in the first place.” Summer crossed her arms. I was so lucky to have her on my side.
“All I hear is Katherine this and Katherine that. She's the secret weapon. She's the one who can do no wrong. But if we lose this account, it's her fault.” Miles was never going to listen to reason. He'd been gunning for me since day one.
I turned to Summer. “I’m sorry, but I can't listen to him talk about me like that anymore, especially not in front of Fiona. Can you call the printer and work this out? I'm certain they made a mistake.” I glanced over at Fiona and she had a look of shock on her face that never should've been there. For the kid who didn't have a problem with awkward, this was too much. “Fiona, honey, pack up your things. We're going to get some lunch and head home, okay?”
“Need I remind you it's the middle of the work day, Ms. Fuller?”
If Fiona hadn't been there, I would've taken Miles to the mat. But standing in that office, even knowing how much I loved my job and couldn't imagine doing anything else, the only thing I cared about was protecting Fiona from Miles and his ugliness. I would've fallen on a grenade for her. And the reality was that I didn't need Miles to believe me or trust me. I simply didn't care.
I took Fiona's hand and led her to the door. “Summer, I'll talk to you later, okay?”
“I’m so sorry about this.” She shot Miles a look.
“If you leave Ms. Fuller, you're out of a damn job.”
That was it. That was all I could take. “Now you're swearing in front of a child? What is wrong with you?” Never mind that Eamon had a terribly foul mouth. It was the principle of the thing.
“A child who shouldn't even be here.”
“That's it. I quit. I'm sorry, Summer, but I quit.”
“You quit?” Miles’s tone read as irate, but his face showed nothing but smug self-satisfaction. I wanted to knock that look off his face so bad.
Instead, I just patted him on the lapel. “Yep. Have fun figuring this stuff out without me.”
With that, I took Fiona's hand, and we went in search of pizza. My heart was pounding as we walked down the street. As if my own sister hadn't made me feel useless enough, now Miles had done the same. How was I supposed to explain my eyesight to anyone? How was I to describe things that Miles could never see? It would be like trying to paint a picture of thin air or trying to explain what rain smelled like. Words would never be enough.
I sent Eamon a text from the pizza place.Left work. Huge fight with Miles. Pizza with Fiona, then home.Fiona was slowly munching away, but I didn't have an appetite, so I had them pack up my slice to go.
“Are you mad I called him Mr. Assby? It just sort of came out.”
“No, honey. I'm not mad.”
She put down her pizza and sat back in her seat. “I don't feel well.”
“What's wrong? Is it your tummy?”
“I have a headache.”
“Maybe it's because of the excitement at the office. I vote we skip the subway and take a cab.”
I got us home as fast as I could. Fiona only wanted to snuggle on the couch, and I was fine with that. I didn't think I could handle anything more taxing. When Eamon came in through the door about an hour later, I could tell right away that his meeting had not gone well. Eamon never wore such a pained expression. Ever.
