1: 1
On my seventh day at the company, my thirty-six-year-old female boss, who called herself "baby," posted a payment QR code in the company group chat.
"Baby's birthday. New employees, your welcome gift to the family is $9,999. Remember to send it before six tonight."
I looked at my $3,800 intern's salary and couldn't believe it.
"Ma'am, typo, right? Ninety-nine bucks sounds more like it?"
The whole office went silent.
Right then and there, the boss's eyes went red, and she started a livestream to complain that I was bullying baby, that I didn't know gratitude.
HR hung the payment code around my neck and made me stand by the camera: I could step down whenever I sent the money.
A coworker suggested I use a payment-plan app to borrow the cash, and one of the connected hires kindly offered to teach me how to set up installments.
I took off the sign and stabbed it straight into the nine-tier birthday cake, then yanked the plug on the livestream big-screen I'd stayed up three nights building.
The pink castle went dark in an instant.
The boss shook with rage and fired me on the spot.
I took off my badge and slapped it on the desk.
"Fine, I'll go. But settle my seven days of pay first."
Ten minutes later, HR sent me a pay statement.
Seven days of wages: $886. Baby's birthday fee: $9,999. Damages to the birthday party: $3,200.
The last line read:
"Employee still owes the company $12,313."
1
"Cecilia Fox, have you not sent the gift money yet?"
HR, Constance Donaldson, held her phone up in my face. On the screen was a pink payment code, four nines printed underneath it.
I stared at it for a full two minutes before I could speak, still not believing it.
"Ma'am, that's a typo, right? Why would I pay for the boss's birthday? And even if I had to pay, ninety-nine bucks would be more like it, wouldn't it?"
The clatter of keyboards in the office stopped all at once.
Abigail Perry, a coworker, looked up.
"When a new employee celebrates baby's birthday for the first time, the welcome gift to the family has always been $9,999. You just graduated, you don't know the rules, so quit the attitude."
I glanced at my pay chart.
The intern's salary was only $3,800. After rent and deposit, I had $1,200 left in my bank account, and now she wanted $9,999. How was that any different from asking for my life?
"I've been here seven days. I've said fewer than ten words to the boss total. I'm not sending this money, and I don't want to go to the birthday party either."
The smile faded from Constance's face. She shot me a scornful look.
"A gift is about the thought behind it. Why are you always fixated on your salary? Baby gave you this job, and just yesterday she treated you to afternoon tea. A person has to know how to be grateful."
That box of afternoon tea was near-expired cake donated by a brand. After the boss picked through it, she dumped all the misshapen leftovers in the break room, and I was supposed to be grateful for that.
Another message popped up in the work chat.
"Baby turns thirty-six today! New family members, remember to complete your welcome gift before six! If you love baby, don't make baby ask twice."
Abigail sent a screenshot of her transfer.
"$9,999. May baby stay eighteen forever."
A string of flattery followed underneath.
"Abby gets baby best. No wonder baby loves you most."
She flaunted it in front of me, smug.
"If you're broke, use a payment-plan app. If you don't know how, I can teach you the installment thing. But not one cent less goes to baby!"
I just thought there was something wrong with her head.
"I know how to use a payment app. But why would I borrow money to pay for the boss's birthday? How much do you even make in a day? Is it worth it?"
Before I could finish, high heels clicked at the doorway.
The boss, Rachel Hughes, walked in wearing a pink princess dress. She was thirty-six this year, and she still thought she was an aging baby-girl the whole company had to coddle.
She stopped in front of my desk, eyes rimmed red like she'd suffered some enormous wrong.
"Baby heard you two arguing. How can you be so cruel? You won't even chip in a little bit of money for baby's birthday!"
Constance quickly steadied her.
"Don't be upset, baby. The new girl doesn't know our family's rules yet."
Rachel pouted at me.
"Cecilia, what did baby do wrong? On your first day, baby personally sent you a $5.20 welcome gift, and you didn't miss out on the afternoon tea yesterday either. Today is baby's once-a-year birthday. You won't even give a little bit of your heart?"
The coworkers all turned to look at me, the pressure plain on their faces.
"Right, Cecilia, don't sour things this early on."
"It's a little money. Send it first and pay it back slowly. Twelve installments, it's not much a month."
I turned my head in silence and looked around. Almost everyone in the office was staring at me, either with pity or with the look of watching a good show. Not one of them tried to say a word for me.
The whole office was full of idiots.
I turned to Rachel.
"You collect a $9,999 gift for your birthday. So how much do you give an employee on theirs?"
She paused.
Abigail jumped in immediately.
"A gift can't be about the amount. Baby wishes everyone a happy birthday."
"But I just checked the group history. The biggest gift baby sent was $5.20. Trading $5.20 for $9,999? What is this, a robbery?"
The words were barely out before Rachel's tears fell.
"Is baby's blessing only worth $5.20?"
I nodded, like I understood.
"Oh, so your blessing is worth more than $5.20. Then my blessing is worth $9,999 too. Go ahead and take it."
At that, Rachel clutched her chest, crying so hard the powder shook loose off her face.
"Constance, start the livestream! Baby's going to let everyone be the judge today. A new employee, seven days in, eating what the company provides, using what the company provides, and now she doesn't even have gratitude. She's bullying baby in front of everyone."
The livestream gear went up fast.
The pink castle lit up on the big screen. That was the animation I'd stayed up three nights making.
Constance printed out the payment code and flipped it over my neck.
"Since you think you did nothing wrong, then stand in front of the camera and explain yourself. When baby's satisfied, that's when you get to step down!"
Excuse me?
Was I some lowlife they got to humiliate like this?
I stood there without moving, the camera aimed at my face.
Rachel sat beside the nine-tier cake and spoke, eyes red.
"Family, baby really got hurt today."
