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I’m surprised to see Teresa, my senior head of HR walk into my office.
“Leo, I apologize for barging in like this, but I was left with no choice,” Teresa says, voice firm and pointed, as always. She’s around twenty years older than me, and she’s a vital part of this film studio. In fact, she was the one to show me the ropes when I was just starting out, and with us working for so long together, I know when she’s about to tell me something serious.
I sit upright in my office chair, fixing my tie as I do so.
“Of course, Teresa, what can I do for you?” I ask politely. Yes, I’m technically her boss, but I’m not going to be disrespectful to a person who’s been with me from the beginning of my career.
Teresa takes a seat in one of my chairs, huffing slightly.
“I don’t understand why you still haven’t replied to me about the paperwork I had my assistant send you,” she begins, and I tilt my head to the side in confusion. She rolls her eyes and stands up, walking to another nearby table where my physical inbox is. There, she pulls out a piece of paper that I have never seen before.
“This one, Leo. Thisveryimportant document regarding a key staff of yours,” she explains as she walks back and sets the paper down.
I take it from her, but don’t read it yet as I look at her frustrated expression.
“Why didn’t you just email this to me, Teresa?” I asked genuinely. I know she’s a bit older than I am, but I’ve seen her send thousands of emails to me before, so why would she send a physical paper to me like it’s not the twenty-first century?
“Because it’s not from me, it’s from the U.S. Immigration Office.” Now I’m confused and my interest is more than a little piqued, so I simply took the document and carefully read the contents.
What the hell?
How could Isa not tell me about this? Not a single peep. Not even a hint that she was going to bedeportedsoon because she violated the terms of her visa? The letter is clearly dated earlier this week, and it’s Friday.
I let out a breath and put the paper back down on my desk.
“Well, that is unfortunate, Teresa. Thank you for informing me in person,” I say, immediately going back to my work, just wanting her to leave now.
I know that it isn’t going to be enough for the senior officer. In fact, I predicted the sigh of disbelief that she let escape her lips.
“That’s it? That’s your whole reaction to your assistant who’s about to be deported? Intwo months,by the way,” she grills, and this time I stare directly into her eyes.
“I don’t have any power to prevent the government from deporting her, Teresa,” I remind her. “Though it isn’t ideal on my end, I can’t really stop this from happening. In the meantime, we should start looking for replacements while Isa sorts this whole thing out back in her home country.” I just aim to tell her the truth. I know it’s going to take some time to replace Isa, and I don’t necessarily want her gone, I’m just not sure what people expect me to do when there’s a violation in place.
“So, you want her to come back?” Her question caught me slightly off-guard, and I don’t really answer her because I don’t really need to. “Do you not remember the plethora of assistants we have hired before Isa? And how all of them were gone in a month or two because they couldn’t keep up with your schedules and demands?”
I grimace at the memory, but I simply give Teresa a slight shake of the head.
“Again, Teresa, I can’t do anything about the government deporting her. I don’t know how much clearer I can be,” I respond, leaning back into my chair as I start to feel a bit boxed in. “If Isa violated her terms, then there will be consequences for her actions. I’m sad to see her go, but that’s all there is to it, I’m afraid.”
Teresa’s expression becomes one of disappointment, and I can’t help but feel a twinge in my heart as I see the older lady look at me that way.
“Leo, Isa violated her terms because you asked her to accompanyyouin London for a shoot.” The senior officer simply turns around and exits my office, leaving me alone. Her words sting. They sting a lot as I remember the production a month ago where I did indeed ask Isa to come along and supervise the shoot with me.
But… I didn’t know. She didn’t tell me anything about it at all. If I had known, then maybe I wouldn’t have let her on that plane and she would…
I clear my throat as I sit up properly in my chair again, going back to work, knowing that all of that is too late now. If I could turn back time, then maybe we’d have something to talk about, but that’s simply impossible. It isn’t pessimism if it’s the truth.
Well, I suppose I have to get used to being by myself on this floor for a while. I’m thinking of ways to tell Isa that I already know her secret. I’m sure she has her reasons for keeping this from me, and while I should be mad that she did, I can’t say that I know what it feels like to be kicked out of the place you have been living in for years. So, it doesn’t feel right to be angry with her about this whole situation. Besides, I’m sure she’s already stressed, which now sheds light on why she has been underperforming this week.
This really is a clusterfuck, Isa.
The elevator dings and opens, and my eyes involuntarily look up, thinking it’s Isa coming back from the studio. My face quickly drops when I spot none other than…
“Leo, my favorite little cousin!” Peyton greets me with open arms and a wide smile as he struts into my office. His voice is sweet and saccharine, and when it’s like that, I know it’s because he needs something from me again that would definitely mess up some of the budgeting for the film he’s executive producing.
“How are you doing on this fine Friday afternoon, cuz?” he asks, and I really have no choice but to entertain him as he plops down on my designer couch, effectively contributing to denting its cushions.
Peyton’s still my COO after all, though he doesn’t really do the job he’s supposed to, but I’m not about to have that discussion with him again. Basically, most of his job is done by his assistants, and that’s all I’m willing to say at the moment.
