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“You wanna watch me?” I snapped.
“Maggie, you didn’t give your two weeks’ notice.”
“I think you’ll live.”
“It won’t look good, you just walking out of here like this. It will only be harder for you to get a job.”
I laughed. “Like you are worried about me getting a job. Give me a break, Jeff.”
“Fine, I’ll accept your resignation, but you have to finish your series at the very least. It’s doing well for the paper, and we can’t just stop it in the middle.”
“Alright, I’ll finish the series, but only because I already have them written,” I told him as I opened one of my drawers and started digging through it for my personal items.
“Then what are you doing? If you’re going to stay until you finish that, why are you still packing?”
“Because I can do that from home, Jeff. I do not need to be here. I will send the rest of my columns to you tomorrow, and then I’ll oversee them, but then I’m done. So find yourself someone else to write stupid romance advice that doesn’t work!”
He grew quiet for a moment, and when I peered his way, he had his eyes closed. That was when I noticed that Jessica was still squashed between us, her chair pushed back as far as it could get in my little cubby, her eyes wide with excitement. The only thing missing was a bucket of popcorn in her lap.
“Jeff, please move so Jessica can get back to her desk.”
He startled like he hadn’t even seen her, and his cheeks started to pinken. He stepped out of the way, looked at me and opened his mouth as if to speak, and then turned and walked away, shaking his head.
“I can’t believe you just quit,” Jessica said as she rolled herself backward toward the aisle. “That was awesome. I wish I could do that. What are you going to do now?”
“I already have another stick in the fire. I’ll let you know how it pans out soon,” I told her as I went back to packing my things. Maybe I should have been more upset over the fact that I’d just quit my job. The problem was, I wasn’t. In fact, I was trying really hard not to break out in song and start dancing.
A few people stopped by, said a few words, wished me well, and then went about their business. Forty minutes later, I was carrying my copy paper box filled with my favorite pens, a couple of pictures, some files, notebooks, and an eclectic assortment of bobbleheads that people had given me. I’d return my ID badge once I was officially done with my column, just in case I needed to come back for some reason.
On the street, I paused and looked back at the building. I’d had big dreams when I started here a few years ago. I knew it would be hard starting over, but I had been excited about the future. That future hadn’t taken me very far, or in the right direction, but I had a feeling that this one would—maybe, hopefully—oh, my god! I just quit my job!
I turned slowly, struck by the sudden decision, and began to walk away. What the heck did I just do? I know it wasn’t a great job, but it had been a paycheck—a little paycheck—and insurance. It had been health insurance! Holy crap! I was getting close to forty. Wasn’t that when your body starting going to hell? Wasn’t that when I was going to need my medical insurance the most?
The whole way home I was trying to keep from panicking, and I was just pulling into my driveway when I got a phone call from Jake.
“Hey, Maggie, how are you?”
“Hi, Jake, I’m doing alright. What can I do for you?”
“Well, I’ve talked at length to Trevor, Greg, and Alex.” He sighed loudly.
I gnawed on my bottom lip as he paused, a bad feeling growing in my gut. “And?”
“And I’m not sure if it’s going to work out, at least right now.”
My entire body went stiff. “What? I thought I had passed everything. I thought that you were on board with this.”
“I am Maggie, or I was. I love the idea of having a reporter along for the ride, but this might not be the right time.”
I clamped my eyes closed, telling myself that I was not going to cry about this. “Did Greg talk you out of it? Is that what happened?”
“No, Maggie, that’s not it.”
“Then why not? You’re the one that thought this was such a great idea. What has changed?”
“I still think it’s a great idea; I just don’t think now is the time.”
I heard a woman’s voice on the other end of the line. “Look, I’ll talk to you soon, Maggie. I have to take another call.”
