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The As-Built folder on the server is packed with design drawings to be updated. Apparently, the startup on the big Centurion Campus Retrofit is in full swing, so the engineers have left me with plenty to do.
I’m revising the ninth drawing of the day when Vicky approaches. My pulse picks up as my boss stops beside me. With this morning’s drama and the subsequent traffic nightmare, I ended up being over an hour late. On top of that, only Tim went to that conference, which means Vicky was diligently working in her office when I arrived. If she noticed how late I was, she didn’t say anything… until now.
“How are the as-builts coming?” she asks.
“Good. Eight down. Six thousand to go.”
She chuckles and leans against the partition of my cubicle.
“Do you have a second to chat?”
Crap.
“Oh, uh. Yeah, sure,” I say, forcing a smile.
She returns it, and I push up from my desk to follow her.
Inside her office, she asks me to close the door and take a seat.
This is the first time I’ve ever been late, and honestly, with our flexible work hours I didn’t think it’d be a big deal. Most of us stay after closing and take calls off-hours enough to justify the occasional late start or early departure. I see others do it all the time. Am I really getting in trouble for this? Wait, am I being fired?
“You’re doing great work, Isabel,” she says, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Thank you. I love working here.”
Vicky nods. “And we love having you here. In fact, we think it’s time for you to start getting out into the field and experience working on site. What do you think?”
“I would love that,” I say.
She must hear the excitement in my voice when her smile grows. “Great. Let’s review your safety training this afternoon and check in with Colin to coordinate a visit to HSU tomorrow.”
“The hospital project?”
She nods. “They could use an extra hand with the loop checks. Sound good?”
“Sounds great.”
“Oh, one more thing,” she says as I move to get up.
I settle back in my seat, swallowing hard.
“We also want to bump up your hourly rate starting next pay period. As long as things continue to go well, we’ll adjust again and move you to salary when you graduate. Does that work for you?”
I bite my lip through another smile. “Yes, that works for me.”
“Good. Keep up the good work and you’ll have a bright future here.”
I messaged Pierce right after the meeting with Vicky to let him know I’d have to work later than I thought. He wasn’t thrilled, of course, but said he’d still meet me at my place later. By the time he arrives just after seven, I already have my laundry going and the TV cued up for his boring documentary.
“That smells amazing,” I say as he enters with a bag of food.
“Got your favorites. Extra guac too.”
“Awesome. Thank you.”
Technically, myfavoriteMexican food is made by my virtual mom, Yolis Haverford. I could live on her menudo, but pretty sure Pierce won’t appreciate that bit of trivia.
He leans down for a quick kiss before dropping our dinner on the coffee table.
