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Taking another sip of my drink, feeling the burn hit the pain in my chest. “Do you think that he would have called if he didn’t know that I have the truth?”
Drake sat in silence. “How much longer do I have to work for Miles?”
My mind turned to anger as I lifted the phone from my pocket. Creating an email, I addressed it to Miles directly.
Drake will be transferring back as my assistant as he is being promoted to Boss Babe Corporation. Jessica will be his replacement with Forever Fitness LLC. This is effective immediately. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me directly.
“Drake, I hope you like New York. You have been promoted, I’m doubling your salary, and the car is your bonus. I’m going to go get Tibby, and you tell Paul the plan.”
Drake leaned over and hugged me. Paul was from New York so he had to know that he could find a place to move his mother. However, my plans were a bit different. Drake looked over at me after reading his email. “Who is going to keep an eye on Mr. Miles?”
“He has shown the ability to run the company effectively and certainly has intentions of being a dual CEO of another one of my companies, but we worked through what goals he has to hit to be considered. He’s not going to try anything because he wants more but knows that he has to get my approval.”
The odd pause led me to believe Drake wanted to say more, but I didn’t entertain. Stepping out of the car onto the apartment sidewalk, Drake ignored informing Paul, and we went straight to Tibby’s apartment. She opened the door but didn’t speak.
“Hi Tibby, can I come in?”
She let go of the door and made her way into the closed space. Drake and I sat on the loveseat next to the door. I started out, “Tibby, Miles had no authority to fire you. To be honest, I have no clue how to even get around this place without you. I want to hire you back.”
To my surprise, she threw a cigarette in her mouth and lit it. “You know, Sophie. I was homeless when you hired me?” Her eyes filled with fire.
“Yes, I do know that.” Drake looked in my direction, confused.
“I actually didn’t have my license until two months after I started the job.”
Pausing at the shock of what she just told me, I tried framing the words, “That I didn’t know.”
She took a long drag of the cigarette. The smoke left her mouth as she smiled. “My mother kicked me out, and I didn’t have any ID to apply for a license or job. I was sleeping outside of this fancy new fitness center when a janitor would prop open the side door all day so that I could come in and shower. One day I walked into the showers, and a suit my size was hanging with a job application already filled out except for my name with no experience. I thought it was a sign until I looked in the other pocket, and it was a flyer for open interviews that started an hour later.” She put out her cigarette and continued. “My entire interview, I lied and stated that I could drive but I didn’t have any experience. HR hired me on the spot for $10 an hour, I started on Monday, and they handed me three uniforms. My entire life changed that day. Not knowing who left me the uniform, I was forever grateful to an unknown person. In my first week, you never questioned me, and I was thankful for that, telling myself I would be forever grateful. After a few months, when I got myself an apartment and purchased a new car, I asked the HR for a copy of my application. The address was listed as home, and I decided to drive to the location.” She laughed, but I could see the pain in her face. She let a small laugh, and Drake and I listened intently. “It was a kids’ camp thirty minutes down the street.” My face dropped. She shook her head. “Yeah, it was Cole who did that for me.”
Standing up as the pain hit my chest, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. She went on, “the past three years have been amazing for me, and I have you and Cole to thank for that. You stepped off the plane, and I was excited to hear all about your trip. You didn’t say a word to me. Didn’t address me and treated me like I didn’t spend the last three years knowing everything about your life. I was an employee. Never did I expect Mr. Asshole to fire me but figured it was you that gave the order.”
Grazing my hand on my forehead, utterly shocked and in lack of strength to meet her eye, I gave a moment to let everything sink in. I was wrong. What I did to her was wrong. She was not just my employee, she was my friend. I didn’t have anyone except for Drake, Paul and her. And in my weakest moment I pushed them all away as if they were strangers. I placated, “Tibby, I would never fire you. The past week has been hell for me, and I didn’t mean to treat you that way. It’s hard to know who to trust, but I trust the two people in this room and honestly I can’t live without you in my life.”
She smiled and took another breath. “It’s true.”
Drake leaned back in the chair, and I started walking toward the back of the apartment. “Tibby,” I yelled. She was already standing behind me. “How much do I pay you?” Before she opened her mouth I shrugged, “It doesn’t matter. Drake, please make Tibby an offer of $80k a year with a monthly housing allowance of $2,000.”
I walked in her direction, realizing what a horrible boss I had been. “Tibby, we are going to New York, and I won’t leave without you. You no longer work for Forever Fitness LLC. Your offer is with Boss Babe Corporation.”
She smiled and nodded in my direction. She asked, “why New York?”
“So, we can ensure people are hired as a second chance and that annual compensation plans are reviewed correctly.” Drake and Tibby looked at one another, confused to which I clarified, “I’m buying a few HR consulting firms.”
They both chuckled, and I walked out of her house. “Drake, make sure you include both your houses in the relocation.” Standing by the Tesla, I waited to tap my foot. “Tibby, you will still be required to open my door.” She moved quickly towards the car with keys in hand and opened my door but not before I gave her a large hug. I whispered in her ear, “And, good morning.”
