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“We need to discuss the maternity leave you asked me about,” he said.
I swallowed hard. I was six months pregnant and starting to show. I’d told Charlie about the baby for the first time last week. Until now, I’d been able to hide it, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to for much longer. Our uniforms were tight, and there wasn’t much to hide a baby bump under.
“You know I can’t just let you take a couple of months off. In corporate companies, they might be able to afford something like that, but here, I need you to work if I’m going to pay you.”
I’d expected this.
“I have savings that I can use during my maternity leave, so you don’t have to worry about paying me while I’m not working. When I’m back, I’ll pick up right where I left off—”
“It’s not that simple,” Charlie said. “What am I supposed to do while you’re gone? I can’t make everyone fill in for you; that’s not fair to them.”
“Can’t you get someone else?”
“And fire the new hire right after you come back? It doesn’t work that way.”
Blood drained from my face. “What am I supposed to do?”
“I think you should look for something else that will be… bettersuitedto your situation.”
I shook my head. “You’re firing me?”
“No, that would be illegal. I’m just strongly suggesting you resign. I mean, this isn’t the kind of place for you to be when you’re about to start a family, anyway.”
I pursed my lips together.
“I’m sorry, Danna.” He had the decency to look apologetic, but that didn’t help me much.
Charlie clasped his hands in front of him. “Someone has to make the tough calls, Danna. That’s part of being the boss. I don’t like it, but someone has to do it.”
“Being the boss means you can choose not to do this to me,” I pointed out.
He didn’t answer me. Something inside me snapped. I’d gone from shocked to pissed off. How could he treat me like I wasn’t worth his time when I’d given everything here, working back-to-back shifts and dealing with his mood swings? I deserved more. Alotmore.
“Maybe you’re right—I should look for something else. Somewhere I’m respected and valued for the work I put in. I’ll finish the week like you suggested, and then I’ll leave.”
“I never said you’re not valued,” Charlie said. “It’s sad to lose you.”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” I said sarcastically and stood. I walked out of the office.
“I really am sorry,” Charlie called after me. “You’re a good waitress, Danna.”
Not good enough to keep on when life got tough, apparently.
I waited until I reached the small staff toilet before I burst into tears. What was I going to do now? I didn’t have a lot of money saved up—not enough to get me by indefinitely. No one was going to hire me knowing I was pregnant and close to having a baby, and once the baby was here, I had to find a job again and manage to do it all alone.
I could have stood my ground and demanded he keep me on. It was my right, after all—he couldn’t just fire me. But how could I keep working here if that was how I would be treated?
Would I find somewhere else that would treat me better? I wasn’t the first woman to fall pregnant. There had to be a place where I could be happy, respected, valued.
Clearly, that wasn’t here.
When I’d found out I was pregnant, I’d gone back to the club to look for Wesley and tell him what had happened. It hadn’t been planned, but shit happened sometimes, right? I’d hoped he could chip in financially, if nothing else. I’d doubted he would want anything more serious after the way we’d parted—it had just been a one-night stand, after all.
I hadn’t been able to find him. I hadn’t known much about him, aside from his name and that he’d said he owned the club, but everyone had been very tightlipped. And when I’d gone to the hotel where he lived to try to talk to him, security escorted me out of the hotel, even though I’d only asked for them to leave a message for him.
It was almost as if he hadn’twantedto be found.
That wouldn’t have been an issue if I hadn’t been pregnant with his child.
