Page 15 of Blood Ties
We finished our goodbyes before hanging up the phone.
“Good. Glad to see you’re finally off the phone. In the future Gaby, the phone should be used for business purposes only,” Ralph stated.
“Ralph,” I spoke halting him in his tracks. He turned slowly to face me. “Might I ask what I could have possibly done to piss you off so badly? I mean this can’t all be because I had unexpected, personal business last week.”
“Not out here.” With a roll of my eyes, I followed Ralph into his office. I was spending way too much time in there today. I stood behind the chair I had occupied just moments earlier and watched Ralph make his way to his seat. “As a matter of fact it is. Look Gaby you are a strong employee, but we just don’t have time for the relationship drama that is your life.”
“I beg your pardon.” I was a bit stunned he implied that. My personal lifehadcrossed over into work, but the company had been completely delighted with the prospect because it brought money into the place. It was only once that it had been an issue and it had only been an issue for me.
“Gaby, it has come to our attention that Alexander only gave us the account because of your relationship with him.”
Well, I could have told them that. Grayson and I had only just started dating when he discovered I was working for a company that was bidding on planning the grand opening of his first hotel. Grayson had joked about giving the account to me just so I’d be forced to see him again, not that he had needed to. I had seen him plenty. After I broke up with him, because of Anton’s threats on his life, Grayson had made it clear to the higher ups that he would only keep the deal with us if I was sitting head on the account. That way, I was forced to interact with him even though I had been trying to keep my distance.
“Ralph, Grayson and I started seeing each other before we ever made the bid on that account. I didn’t know who he was until after we started dating and you knew the situation surrounding him giving us the account.”
“Well, the higher-ups believe that you started you’re relationship with Alexander for the sole purpose of getting ahead.”
I gripped the back of the chair suddenly feeling light headed. I felt my stomach flip and bile rise up in my throat. “You can’t be serious? They think I’m sleeping my way to the top?”
Ralph shrugged and for the first time I recognized sympathy behind his eyes. “It doesn’t get much higher than Grayson Alexander, Gaby.”
I took a deep breath before I spoke. “What exactly are you telling me, Ralph?”
He sighed heavily letting his head drop between his shoulders, looking a bit ashamed. “I’m telling you that the company feels that it is unfair to show favoritism to someone just because who they are dating. Look, I’m going to be honest with you.” I nodded giving him the go head to continue. “I don’t think that’s what’s happened here, but it doesn’t matter what I think. The company is going to low ball you at every opportunity they get.”
“But why? I don’t understand. They didn’t have a problem when Grayson requested me for his account even though he and I were broken up and it would be humiliating for me.”
“They received an anonymous letter from an employee stating everything I’ve mentioned. They don’t care what a great job you did for the opening, and you did do a terrific job. They think behind one letter there are several disgruntled employees. They want you out and they want me to make it happen.”
It was all starting to make sense. “So that’s why you’re being an ass.” I risked a glance at Ralph’s face. He didn’t look upset, he simply nodded. “So a letter?” He nodded again. “What did it say?”
Ralph groaned. “You don’t want to know. It was pretty hateful.”
“So, I can either stay and have everyone treat me like horse shit or I can quit,” I conveyed to myself.
“Look I’m not going to ruin your career and neither is the company. If you chose employment elsewhere I’ll give you a raving reference. They just want you out to appease the other employees and they have nothing to fire you over. So making work unbearable is the only option for them.”
I nodded slowly. “I get it. It just pisses me off. I’m being punished because some tight ass nobody is upset because of who I’m sleeping with.”
“It sucks and it’s unfair. I’m sorry, Gaby, but you do have another choice.”
“I do?”
“You can take an undetermined leave of absence. It would be unpaid of course. This way, maybe the situation might blow over.”
I thought about what he was offering. Part of me wanted to tell the company where to stick it, but I didn’t want to lose the option of working somewhere else. I had put a lot of time into Gates and Summers. “What would you do?” I needed a different perspective.
Ralph leaned back, he’s chair letting out a groan. He seemed to really ponder over my question. “I’ve worked for this company for a long time. I’d hate to start over and have to work my way up. I’d take the leave while looking for something else. That way I’m not caught with my pants down. But, you’re young, starting over wouldn’t be that hard.”
I nodded again. “I really don’t want to give them the satisfaction of letting them win. How do I put in my leave request?”
Ralph seemed genuinely stupefied by my question. I think he thought I would have put up more of a fight and a week ago, I might have. Everything was different now. I knew what was important and it wasn’t a job. It was the people in my life. Ralph opened his desk drawer and handed me a stack of papers “If anyone asks, you didn’t hear this from me.” I agreed and filled in the necessary blanks.
“I’ll go clear out my desk.”
“It’s still your desk, Gaby.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know when or if I’ll be back.”
