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2
Ten years ago, the company was on the edge of bankruptcy, morale in pieces.
I was the one who gritted my teeth and held on alone, begging and pleading, burning through countless all-nighters, dragging a company that was about to fold back from the brink with a hundred million in results I clawed out by hand.
This office was the personal reward the president gave me for it.
No matter how my role shifted or my rank changed later, this office was mine to use, permanently.
It was an honor I'd bled for, proof of ten years of sweat.
I held my anger down.
"Move your things back. Put everything where it belongs."
Humphrey nudged his glasses up and let out a smirk.
"Edwina, this is a company, not your house."
"A company has its rules. Right now you're an employee at the very bottom. What gives you the right to sit in a big private office?"
"You've just gotten too used to trading on seniority. No sense of discipline or the rules at all. Getting written up this time isn't the least bit unfair."
I didn't want to waste words on him. I went straight to the general affairs department.
"Edwina, the company really doesn't have any extra private offices."
"Director Finch specifically instructed that you clear the room for Supervisor Harding. There's nothing I can do."
The longtime clients and connections I'd built over the years kept my numbers first in the company.
Jeremy, who'd joined the same year as me, had always resented me for it, and now he'd finally caught something to hold over my head.
Laughable. My seat here had never depended on a supervisor's title.
I went to file an appeal with the president, only to be told he was suddenly away on business.
Water far off doesn't put out a fire close by.
All I could do was swallow my anger and wait for him to come back.
Before I knew it, it was quitting time.
For the past six months, I'd stayed late every single day helping Humphrey, right up until ten.
Today I packed up early and left right on time.
Humphrey came out and pitched his voice across the whole office.
"Everyone, I made permanent and got promoted today, and it's all thanks to how you've all looked out for me!
Dinner's on me tonight, the whole team. You'd better do me the honor of coming!"
The words were barely out before the office broke into a chorus of flattery.
"Congratulations, Supervisor Harding. So young, with such a bright future."
"We'll all work hard under Supervisor Harding. Our department's only going to get better and better!"
One compliment after another, grating and hollow.
The smugness on Humphrey's face was impossible to hide.
He walked over to me on purpose.
"Edwina, say what you want, you're still the mentor who brought me into this field.
Today's the day I got promoted. Everyone's going. You can't refuse to give me this much face."
The coworkers around us turned to look in unison, waiting for a show.
I turned him down flat.
"It's after hours now. Nowhere in company policy does it say an employee has to accompany a supervisor to dinner."
"There's no reason for me to attend your dinner."
The smile on Humphrey's face froze, and something dark flickered in his eyes.
"Edwina, I respect that you once trained me. I've given you room at every turn."
"A department dinner is a team thing. If you won't come, either you're holding a grudge over the report I filed, or you can't separate work from personal feelings."
"Selfish and willful like this, caring only about your own mood, with no regard for the team at all, can you really face the company, face everyone in this department?"
Black turned to white.
I couldn't be bothered to argue with him. I turned and walked out.
That evening I got a message from my dinner buddy.
"Edwina, he came right out and said he's going to whip office discipline into shape. Watch yourself from now on."
I gave a cold laugh and opened up a movie.
Six months of helping Humphrey, and I hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time.
The next day, I clocked in on time.
I worked through what was on my plate, not the least bit affected by yesterday's farce.
Before long, Humphrey came over with his brow furrowed, a client proposal in hand.
"Edwina, I just took over the supervisor role. I don't have much experience."
"I can't get a read on this proposal. Take a look for me, give me some pointers."
I glanced at it. It was one of my longtime clients, and their requirements for the proposal were brutally strict.
Humphrey had been put on the spot plenty of times before, and every time it was me who stepped in and handled it.
"Sorry, Supervisor Harding."
