Page 42 of Bear with Me
"What time is it?" The talk show used to run right after lunch. If I hurried home now, I could make it to work before?—
"It's almost four."
"Fuck!" Our office closed at five.
"You told them you were in heat." Ollie's breath was warm against my cheek.
"I sent a text message to my boss on Friday," I said. "He already thinks I'm a flaky omega."
Ollie's growl reverberated against my back. "That's bullshit."
"I need to check my messages." Instead of trying to get up again, I flopped into Ollie's arms, resting the back of my head on his shoulder.
He laughed. "I'll carry you."
He was my first partner who could lift me off the ground. He carried me to the kitchen like it was nothing and set me down on the counter beside his charging station.
I powered my phone on, and the text notification chime rang repeatedly, all with the same display name,"Bossman."He hated when I called him that, so it had stuck.
I re-read the text I sent on Friday."I'm in heat and won't be in on Monday. Please schedule me as taking a sick day. I left my laptop at the office."
His response read,"New year - no sick days and no vacation. Monday will be your second strike and unpaid."My first strike was returning from lunch fifteen minutes late the day I'd called the therapists. That meant yesterday and today were my second and third. As in baseball, third strike and I was out.
Shit. Well, there was no way I could have made it to work on time, either yesterday or today.
Ollie handed me a bunch of grapes and kissed my temple. "Bad news?"
"I think they fired me."
He backed against the counter. I held my phone up where we could both see it and scrolled through my text messages. The final one said,"Check your email."
I pulled up my personal inbox and found three messages, two from HR and one from Michael Wacheter, my former boss.
The first email from HR was from yesterday, detailing my second strike. The second was my termination notice. To add insult to injury, they called the second day,"No call, no show."
Shame and frustration built in my throat until I couldn't breathe. I'd never been fired before. I hadn't even been on an employment improvement plan. I didn't like my job, but I handled employee questions better than most.
"You were already planning to quit." Ollie drew circles on my back, and the warmth from his hand soaked into my t-shirt. "It isn't all bad."
I stifled a sob and opened the final email.
"We regret to inform you that, while you qualified for a second interview for the available supervisor position, it has been canceled as a result of your termination. We also revoked your application to the other two positions for which you applied. We wish you well in your future endeavors."
The last line squeezed my battered heart. I'd worked there for the last five years, and somehow, I didn't have enough vacation or sick time to cover an unexpected two days off.
"This is bullshit." Ollie shoved my knees apart so he could stand between them. He smelled so good after his shower, while I was still a mess of slick and sex from this morning.
"No, you're right," I said, trying to manifest positive thoughts. "I have an appointment with your union leader on Thursday, and now I can attend classes during the day."
Ollie pulled back and cupped my chin. "Move in with me."
"I …"
"It's closer to school, and you won't have to worry about finances." His throat clicked when he swallowed. "You don't have to stay with me. I'll hook the cottage up to the LP so you'll stay warm this winter."
I shook my head. "You don't need to?—"
"Please, let me help you."
