Page 102 of Take a Moment

‘Nothing wrong with your wits then. Seriously, Alex, mate. So good to see you. Want you to know I’ve got your back anytime.’

‘That’s good to know.’ I smile at him appreciatively.

‘Alex, very good to have you back.’ Felix moves forward as Dhruv turns to speak to Emmanuel. ‘You have been missed, my friend.’

‘Thanks Felix. It would seem so. Tell me, did someone recycle that banner from another event?’ I chuckle, pointing towards the whiteboard.

‘Why do you ask this?’

‘Because it says “welcome home”, not “welcome back”.’

‘I think it’s intentional,’ Emmanuel calls across, giving me a telling nod.

I look at the banner again and the full meaning of all this hits me. This isn’t just any ‘welcome back’ party, it’s a very pointed ‘you-belong-here-so-don’t-you-ever-think-otherwise-even-if-a-nasty-cow-tries-to-destroy-you’ party. My teammates and colleagues have clocked my gaze and gone quiet, waiting for my response. I glance around at them and then a huge grin spreads across my face.

‘Aww you guys… come here, all of you.’

Needing no prompting, they swoop in around me and I’m cocooned in my first ever workplace group hug. Just what I needed to settle back in. There’s just one thing that’s lingering in my mind though.

‘Emmanuel, have you got a second?’ I ask, once everyone has dispersed and are having their own conversations again.

‘Sure, Alex. I think I know what you’re going to ask. Let’s pop outside.’

We leave the room and nip into an empty meeting room next door. Emmanuel closes the door behind us and turns to me.

‘You want to know what happened with Danielle at the disciplinary meeting yesterday.’

‘Yes.’ I nod. ‘This is all so lovely, but I need to be prepared for whatever is to come.’

‘She’s gone, Alex.’

I gasp in shock. ‘She was fired?’

‘Not exactly. Although I expect that might have been the outcome if someone else hadn’t stepped in.’

‘Her dad.’

‘It would seem so. The case against her was strong. She was still denying she had anything to do with the WhatsApp message, and we couldn’t prove she sent it. But her friend from HR admitted everything. Apparently, she had shared the information with Danielle in confidence after being put under pressure to do so – and she had not expected it to be broadcast the way it was. Once she saw it was out there, she knew she would be fired and said she wasn’t going down alone. That information along with the text messages Danielle sent to you was enough for us to treat it as gross misconduct.’

‘So what happened?’

‘Two hours before the meeting, I received a message from the chief exec’s office. Danielle had resigned with immediate effect, and the disciplinary hearing would not go ahead. Also – and I’m afraid this will bother you – Danielle’s record was to be wiped of any trace of the pending hearing.’

‘What?’ I almost can’t believe what I’m hearing. ‘She doesn’t deserve that at all.’

‘No, she doesn’t. But there’s nothing I can do to change it.’

I shake my head at the injustice of it all. Danielle should have answered for what she did and now she gets to walk away unblemished.

‘Keep one thought in your mind, Alex.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Her dad won’t always be around, or have the influence, to protect her. His friendship with the CEO worked in Danielle’s favour and she burned that opportunity. She might not be as protected wherever she goes next.’

‘That’s true.’ I suck in a deep therapeutic breath. ‘OK, that’s just how it is. The main thing is, she’s gone. And so is her little sidekick. I now need to focus on all the wonderful colleagues I have next door.’

‘You do.’ Emmanuel smiles warmly. ‘Shall we go back and join them?’

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