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“I’ll cut to the chase,” Ann began. Gerald dropped a stack of paper on the table.
“Care to explain what you were thinking this afternoon?” She asked. Gerald’s brows drew down and Ann’s arms were crossed.
Andrew and I shared a look. Neither of us wanted to go first.
Gerald stabbed at the papers with one meaty finger. “This email. What the hell is this?”
I peered down and my stomach dropped. These were our emails from earlier, printed for all the world to see.
“I can explain. We were just having some fun, you know, to blow off steam.” I jumped in, words rushing out.
Gerald cut my rambling off. “I don’t care about your petty bullshit with Markman most of the time, but when clients start to get involved, it becomes a problem.”
“No. No clients were on that email,” Andrew cut in.
“Yes. They were.” Gerald pointed again and we both peered down. There, in black and white, was the name of one of Gerald’s largest clients. A client I had worked with last year, on which Andrew had never been staffed. Their email had been in my address book.This is my fault. I felt ill.
“This ends today.” Ann spoke up. Her face was pinched in displeasure.
“No more fighting from you two. It’s gone on long enough. We are happy to encourage some healthy competition between associates, but you are putting the reputation of the firm on the line.” Gerald’s voice rose and his jowls shook. “We know you are both hoping to make partner. As it stands now, neither of you will be elevated until we see meaningful change in your relationship.”
Andrew and I both affected innocent miens. He opened his mouth and Ann put up her hand.
“I don’t want to hear it. It has been and endless war between you two. Did you think we hadn’t noticed?” She crossed her arms. We had assumed exactly that. I certainly had.Fool.They were far more perceptive than we had given them credit for. I ran back through all of the incidents between us over the years. Andrew stealing my seat at a big partner dinner so he could ingratiate himself, me telling Gerald that Andrew was too busy to work one weekend for him, Andrew being publicly yelled at because he’d messed up a document I had sabotaged, Andrew stealing my client five years ago because he wanted the hours. Ann seemed to remember those things too because she gave each of us a glare that would melt steel.
Andrew and I were silent, horrified. Ann continued, “While none of us are best friends, we are partners in the closest sense of the word. Joining our ranks is like a marriage. We trust each other implicitly. Neither Gerald nor I feels you are ready for that level of commitment to the firm and to each other, not while your dislike is so apparent. Gerald, anything to add?”
Gerald snuffled into his mustache and cleared his throat. “Well said, well said. I agree with Ann and I will add that the change better come quickly, because on January second, you will be co-heading the biggest deal this firm has ever seen. And I expect both of you to bring your A game. That means no arguments, no pranks, and no pettiness. If I hear any rumblings of misconduct or even a mean word from one of you to the other, you’re both out.” He looked at each of us in turn. I tried to look attentive instead of panicked. This was an unmitigated disaster. Before I could spiral, he continued. “In preparation for that deal, we’ve decided that both of you could use some practice behaving as true partners, at least until we decide you’re ready to be separated.”
Andrew and I glanced at each other. This sounded ominous. He pressed his leg against mine as if to sayGive up now, Clarke.I gritted my teeth and pressed right back.You first, asshole.Gerald was completely oblivious to the war going on under the table.
“You’ll be sharing an office. Don’t worry, it’s a big one.” He chuckled at his joke. “We cleared out one of the unused partner offices for you to split. We think this will be good practice for you. Ann and I attend client dinners, conferences, and pitches together. We’ve sat side by side for hours on end,” Gerald continued. Ann looked less than thrilled at being reminded of these events.
“You need to learn to do the same with no fighting.” He looked pointedly at each of us. “We’ve asked facilities to move your items in to the new office at the end of the week. You’ll be sharing from then until we decide you have shown sufficient progress, or until one of you is elevated to partner. With that said, enjoy the rest of your evening.”
They both walked out, leaving Andrew and I shell-shocked in the conference room.
“What the fuck,” Andrew muttered. His voice was stark.
“I know.” I sprang up to pace the conference room, Gerald’s disapproving face clear in my mind.
“Good job sending that email to a client,” Andrew mocked and I gritted my teeth.
“Don’t try to pretend this is all my fault. You started the stupid email.” I rounded on him. He unfolded himself from his chair, crowding me in the small conference room with his height, the way he seemed to take all the oxygen for himself.
“I can see this is going to be enjoyable,” he responded coolly, the flex of his jaw belying his words. I made Andrew Markman see red and I reveled in it. I stepped in closer, just to watch his eyes widen the smallest fraction and his nostrils flare.
“I am going to make this hell on earth for you,” I whispered. His eyes flicked down to my lips and back up. My skin prickled with unwelcome awareness.
“I’m already there.” He gave a shake of his head and walked out.
5
Andrew
Iwatched the phone buzz and considered not answering my father’s call. I was having a decent evening. It was eight pm, I’d entered all my time for the day, finished my final emails, was even watching SportsCenter. I was busy trying to forget the fact that I’d be sharing an office with my nemesis in just a few short days. I could say goodbye to privacy and peace and quiet. I grimaced. Margo Clarke clearly still despised me as much as she had seven years ago. That much had been clear from our conversation earlier.
My father only called me if something dire had happened. It was either an emergency or he was calling to yell at me.
