The Mix-Up

Chapter Nine

Alexander held the strap of his leather shoulder bag as he entered his office. Raising his thermos to his lips he took a deep gulp. He wasn't sure what to expect coming into work Monday morning but so far things were much calmer than he anticipated. Moving towards his office he entered and took a seat in his leather chair. There was a stack of files on the side of his desk that he assumed needed his immediate attention. The man had barely gotten started on the first file when the glass door slid open.

"I thought I had made myself clear when we spoke on Saturday" his boss stated entering the office with his arms crossed against his chest. The man didn't seem impressed, with his brows furrowed and his forehead wrinkled.

"And I said we would talk more about this on Monday. Well it's Monday. So I'm here to talk" Alec said closing the file. "I know you wanted me here on Saturday, but I truly couldn't make it. Yes, I will always make myself available for the company but that's within reason. The weekend is the one time I get time off. And I wanted to take it."

"I'm disappointed in you Alexander" the other man spoke deeply in a scolding voice. "You could've done great things, and you were moving up so quickly. You're focus driven. You're confident and determined. You're good on the artistic side. You had so much potential in this company my boy. But lately, I've been watching you get distracted. You've been leaving earlier and seem distracted by your phone throughout the day."

Alec scoffed at those words. "I'm on my phone during my breaks, never in my working hours. And I am not leaving early. I work nine to five just like every other employee here. The only thing I'm not doing is working the two extra hours a day. But that doesn't mean I'm not pulling my weight."

His boss sighed softly "but that is exactly my point Alexander. You were never like everyone else. You always went over and above with everything you did in this office. It's what made you stand out. That is why you caught my eye and why I saw you going places. But that spark is gone now."

"The spark isn't gone. It's just become a burning fire for something other than work" Alec insisted. "I love what I do here. But I can't keep doing it the way I did for years. I have new responsibilities."

"I came in here this morning with the intentions of laying you off" his boss stated. He was watching the younger with intense set eyes. "But I know you're a good worker. So I'm willing to keep you on." as the man spoke the words Alexander's blood started to boil. This guy was acting like Alec hadn't given the past several years to the company. That he hadn't long since earned his keep in the company. "Now, there is the topic of that promotion we discussed with the raise in pay. Unfortunately I wont be able to offer it to you anymore. Not with the way your behaviour has changed and affected your work. I don't feel as though you have earned it anymore."

"Excuse me?" Alec frowned and slowly stood. "You are retracting the promotion because I didn't earn it anymore? But I already had the promotion. You promised me it on Wednesday. You can't just come in here now, and retract it. I had earned based on my performance. I worked my ass off for years to get it. I'm the best choice in this entire damn office."

"Not anymore" his boss stated. "You proved that to me on Saturday. I need a worker who will put the company first. You can be a workingman or a family man. There is no down the middle, both aspects would suffer. And I don't want this company to take a fall because I entrusted this position to someone who was only ever half here."

Alexander clenched his jaw in anger. "So because I have a family now, I can't be considered a top worker anymore? That's ridiculous!"

"You are lucky to be keeping your job at all after the way you treated the company on Saturday."

Alec watched the elder man with stunned looking eyes. Giving his head a little shake in hopes of clearing his thoughts. He moved to grab his bag from under his desk and took hold of his thermos. Slowly he stood, squaring off with his boss. "I quit."