AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Principal Monroe pouted. “You are too young to just work all the time Get out and have some fun. There is always something going on here in Dawson Falls. If not, try one of the neighboring towns, there has to be something you like to do. As I tell all of the teachers, you must have a life outside of this place. Don’t make it your life.”
Aubree nodded her head. “Yes, I will try.” She knew Principal Monroe was a boss that really cared about her employees and wanted the best for them.
“By the way,” Principal Monroe sighed, “I am going to meet with you and the other performing arts teacher because the district is already talking about budget cuts, and the school year has just begun. I have a meeting later this week about the proposed budget cuts and will let you all know.”
The talks of budget cuts were all over the news the last couple of days. Aubree just hoped her position wasn’t one that they decided to cut this year. The threat was always there because people believed that performing arts programs were not as important as cutting-edge programs such as STEM or was a money machine like sports. In education performing arts classes were just a waste of time and resources. Aubree prayed it was just a threat and not reality this year.
“Alright, have a good day,” Aubree spoke as she left the office headed for her classroom. Aubree didn’t have a class until third period, so she spent the morning warming up and finishing the choreography for the Fall Student Showcase instead of thinking about what loomed over head. The Fall Student Showcase was an opportunity to showcase the students' talents and possibly bring new funding to the arts programs. They would definitely need to make this better than last year’s showcase. Aubree worked her students for the rest of the day and even after school. She believed that they needed practice to be the best in the city.
As Aubree left work all she could think about was losing her job after she was so close to eliminating all the debt she had accumulated during her relationship with Gerald. She was ready to be free of anything related to her past relationship. If she ever saw him, it would be too soon. When she confronted him about the unpaid bills, he had a tantrum and accused Aubree of not believing in him and supporting his endeavors. That is how he dealt with their problems by always accusing Aubree for everything that went wrong in the world. But Aubree knew better; she had seen the writing on the wall years ago but ignored it, and now she was paying for it. Grandma Margrett would say ‘that’s what you get when you don’t listen to reason.’ Aubree knew she was paying too high of a price.
As Aubree pulled in the driveway she wondered if things would ever change for her. Would she be able to have the life she deserved to have? Because living with her grandmother for more than six months was unacceptable. Aubree mulled over different things that she could do to bring in more money because money is what she needed to solve their current problem. She didn’t like having to rely on anyone to help her, and those that claimed to love her couldn’t be trusted like her parents, and definitely not Gerald.
“Hey baby!” Grandma Margrett yelled out as Aubree walked through the door.
“Hey Grandma, where are you?” Aubree walked in the living room and placed her bags on the floor near the couch.
“In the kitchen fixing dinner!” Grandma shouted. Just like clockwork she never failed to have dinner going when Aubree walked through the door every evening no matter how late she worked. As Aubree walked toward the kitchen the aroma of the food made her stomach rumble. She could smell cornbread cooking in the oven which meant dinner was just about ready. Aubree ran to the half bathroom to wash her hands and ran back to the kitchen. Since it was just the two of them, they ate all their meals in the kitchen. The formal dining room was for guests and holidays. Aubree set the table and helped her grandma bring the food to the table so they could eat. Once everything was on the table they sat down, held hands, and said grace. Grandma served Aubree first putting a sampling of every dish on her plate then she fixed her own. Aubree’s mouth watered as she stared at the chopped steak smothered with grilled onions and gravy, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, pickled beets, and cornbread. They ate in silence for a couple of minutes before Grandma asked, “So, will you have a job? I saw it all over the news, them talking about budget cuts and teachers losing their job. Have you heard anything?”
“No, but Principal Monroe did say she had to speak with me and some of the other teachers about the budget cuts. She won’t know anything until she goes to a district meeting. School districts say this every year then find the money so no one has to be fired. Hopefully that will happen this year.” Even as Aubree said the words for some reason, she didn’t feel very confident about having a job.
After dinner and cleaning up the kitchen, Aubree went to her bedroom to watch TV and unwind from work and catch up on some work she needed to finish. Aubree was grading student papers when her phone began chirping. “What you doin’ my Breezy?” Aubree smiled as she heard the voice of her best friend and love sister Ivy.
“Nothing Vee, what’s going on with you?”
“Girl, just passing time until I leave to pick up my little brother from practice.” Ivy was one of Aubree’s oldest and dearest friends that she loved like a sister. Like Aubree, Ivy’s mother left her and her siblings with their great aunt to raise them after she decided motherhood wasn’t for her. With Ivy’s great aunt being Aubree’s grandma’s best friend, the girls grew up together and were practically inseparable.
“Oh, how are things going on the new job?” Ivy had just begun working for Sheer Elegance, event planning services for all occasions. Sheer Elegance specialized in planning and hosting events for the wealthy. Aubree asked because she knew Ivy’s dream was to own an event planning company, and this was the foot in the door to get the experience she needed to work with the most demanding wealthy clients. Ivy had planned all their birthday parties and holiday celebrations making everyone think that Aubree had spent hundreds or thousands of dollars. Not with Ivy planning.
“It’s going good, I just have to learn to deal with these rich folks that think they can treat you any way they want. Girl I almost had to choke a rich bitch for throwing shade every five minutes. I’m just buying my time and lining my pockets until I can own my own event planning services.” Ivy sighed
“What about you, Breezy? How is school going?”
Aubree thought about it. “It’s going good. We are getting ready for the Fall Student Showcase, so I know can count on you and Nova to help, right?” Every year Ivy and Nova, her other best friend, would help with the Fall Showcase and Spring Recital. Aubree planned the choreography and music; Ivy took care of the stage decorations, and Nova designed the costumes.
“Breezy, we got you, plus I enjoy doing decorating for the students. You know Nova will say yes. She loves working with the students to design the costumes.”
“Yeah, I need for both recitals to be perfect so we can secure extra funding for next school year,” Aubree stressed. Funding is always an issue with school districts and the first program on the chopping block was the arts. Especially those that did not draw larger crowds or money like band. Aubree could not afford to lose her job, and too much was at stake. Aubree and Ivy talked until it was time for Ivy to leave to pick up her brother.
As Aubree laid in the bed that night her mind was filled with thoughts of how she was just starting to get back on track. Losing her job would be like never leaving the start line even though the race started. The weights of bad decisions and foolish love fantasies would be holding her at the start of the race while others were miles away. Rubbing a hand down her face and turning over in bed, Aubree hugged her pillow. Just once she wanted to run with everyone else in the life race and not always be behind. One thing Aubree knew for sure was that losing her job would be the beginning of her end.
Chapter 5
“Where is he? I need to see him now!” The sounds of a woman’s raised voice brought everything in the office to a halt. “Move out of my way before I remove you from this building! You dimwitted twit!” Half a second later, the office door was flung open slamming against the wall.
“Grant Davis Hollings, what do you think you are doing? You fired Callee Stevenson! Out of the women I hired, Callee was the best. Explain yourself!” This was exactly what Grant didn’t need today. His mother barging in his office demanding answers about his personal life which had nothing to do with her.
“Mother, lower your voice,” Grant chastised his mother, closing his office door behind her. “We are running a business, not a social event.” This day needed to end quickly before Grant lost all his cool. Not that he was wishing his life away but being in the office was suffocating.
“Do you have to fire every person I hired as Chanel’s nanny? Callee was an excellent candidate and very efficient in her duties in the Black Women of Excellence Society, so I don’t understand why you fired her!” Katherine Hollings yelled at her son. Chanel was Grant’s six-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, and with his new promotion, he needed someone to care for Chanel in the evenings.
“Mother, the problem is you didn’t hire Callee to be Chanel’s nanny, you hired her to be my wife. All of the candidates you have hired or recommend for hire are so busy trying to become Mrs. Hollings that they forget I have a daughter that needs the care, not me. Let me make this real clear, I don’t need a wife. My daughter needs a caretaker and not one that believes her place is in my bed. Or on top of a desk for that manner, or any other piece of furniture!” Grant yelled trying to get his point across.
“Grant! That vulgarness is not necessary, and don’t you dare raise your voice at me, Grant Davis Hollings! I am your mother, and I am only looking out for your best interest. You are a 32-year-old CCO of Hollings Holdings, and it is time for you to settle down, give Chanel a mother and have a family. Who knows, one of these ladies could be your future wife?”
Grant rubbed his eyes and pinched his nose. This was not the day for this conversation. Katherine Hollings was on her new life mission, and no one was going to stop her from marrying off her children.
But Grant was working against his mother’s plan like a fulltime job. He had fired 10 nannies over the course of five months because they were not interested in during their job but doing Grant. Grant would arrive home and find Chanel in bed and the nanny inhisbed. Tired of fighting the endless battle Grant asked his sister and maid to help with Chanel. Grant’s father had just named him COO of Hollings Holdings Inc. but not everyone felt that Grant Sr., had made the right decision for the company. The current VP of Finance, Brandon James, was recommended by several board members, but ultimately his father had the final word. Grant had only been in the position of a few months, but the company employees were ready to leave because they felt as if Grant would be just like his father and grandfather in running the company with an iron fist. Employees felt they had no growth with the company. All new hires for top positions were candidates outside the company. His grandfather and father never hired within for upper-level administrative positions among other things. Their voices were not heard regarding important company decisions such as health care, tuition reimbursement, and childcare options. People wanted to work for companies that they could advance in and offered perks and bonuses.
