Selfish Desires

Twenty-Eight

Lacey remained standing on the spot, vibrating with anger as Jamie left with Ben. She needed to walk, needed fresh air, needed something to calm her down, but Cassandra blocked her exit. Why was she here and where had Clara and Karen disappeared to?

"Now is not a good time, Cassandra," she spoke as evenly as possible, but she knew she had failed.

"Screaming like a banshee at a client of Jameson Hunter's caliber is like signing your own pink slip. I don't even need to report your unprofessional behavior because the entire office heard it."

Lacey didn't bother to acknowledge the smug woman and made her way to the uncomfortable couch, no longer willing to face anyone else now that she knew they all heard her. She slumped down, tipped her head back, and rubbed her hands across her face in a very unladylike fashion. Coward. She told him why she left and he called her a coward.

She heard the crisp call of her name, opened one eye suspiciously, and found Cassandra standing next to her new boss, Mrs Speary.

"In my office, Ms Symonds."

In her mind's eye, she was screaming 'Give me time', but this was her boss, and she had no choice but to follow her direction.

Lacey didn't know Mrs Speary well, but judging from the thin press of her lips and her unnatural wrinkle-free frown she figured the woman was unhappy. She was barely seated before her boss launched into a reprimand that had her silently cursing Jamie for putting her in this predicament.

"This is a professional consultancy with a solid reputation for managing reputational damage and you, on your first day, are heard throughout the office raising your voice disrespectfully at Jameson Hunter. Why was he even in your office? As far as I'm aware he hadn't approached the agency, neither had Ms Langston, and if he had then I would have recommended him to someone I trust, such as Cassandra."

"They sought me out without an appointment. I would have updated you afterward of course."

"So, they aren't officially clients of yours. Good. We may be able to salvage this. I expect you to contact Mr Hunter and apologize. From now on Cassandra will take over the management of their case and you will receive a written warning that you will be expected to sign, for acting in an unprofessional manner that goes against the agency's expectations of etiquette. A second written warning and we will have no choice but to release you."

"I just want to make sure I understand this correctly. You want me to apologize to Mr Hunter, step back from him and Clara as clients, and agree to receive a written warning." When she received a confirmation nod, she continued, "First, I will speak with Mr Hunter as is necessary and I expect there will be an apology." From him, she completed in her head. "Second, you can't make a unilateral decision to withdraw me. They chose me for a reason, but I can appreciate your position, so if they want to use another consultant I will graciously step back. However, should they ask me for a recommendation on a replacement, I will propose Sam. And lastly, I will consider accepting and signing a written warning as you suggest, only after this matter has been investigated first so that I can have confidence that due process has been followed and a decision was reached based on facts. I would hate to think a written warning was being issued solely to appease the delicate sensibilities of the Jameson Hunter."

After her speech, Lacey felt the last vestiges of her anger fade away, only to be replaced by regret and fear. She enjoyed her work. She was proud of her career and rewarded with knowing she could support her boys. Dismay overwhelmed her knowing she'd just thrown it all away, but she wasn't going to take it back even if it meant she'd end up working on minimum wage again and be left to hide away in a corner of Jamie's world instead of standing alongside him. At least she didn't have to worry about her boys. Jamie loved them and they would forever have the world at their feet.