“First, let me ask, is everything going okay with you? I need to know that you would be honest and tell me if you were having trouble at work, at home, or felt overwhelmed with the added responsibility you’ve picked up this last year.”
“No, I’m fine. Everything is fine, great in fact. I’ve loved the new projects and enjoyed the challenges and learning opportunities. I’m not overwhelmed at all.”
“I’ll cut to the chase then. I’ve received three phone calls this week from customers that you manage their portfolios. They have expressed concern with your work on their behalf and asked to be reassigned.”
My mouth drops open and vision blurs. What? I work my ass off for these people and try every different scenario to invest their accounts with the best interest options available. I’ve landed my last two clients from referrals alone.
“Phillip, what are you talking about? I’ve been working like crazy to keep everyone happy and profitable. I never slack when it comes to the well-being and reputation of this bank. Who’s complaining, I will get a hold of them immediately.”
“I know your dedication and commitment here. That’s why I’m going to review the client files personally. First glance, everything seems fine, but I will go line by line to make sure we have done the right things. I would like to keep the clients names private for now because I don’t want anything to change in your working relationship if their concerns aren’t valid.” He gets up to leave, l stand with him.
“I’ve lost the chance for the promotion, haven’t I?” My voice cracks.
His eyes warm and he looks straight at me. “Not if I can help it. Why do you think I put it on hold? There’s no one more qualified than you. Don’t let it consume you. Keep working hard and let me look into these concerns. I’ll get back to you in a few weeks. In the meantime, if something does come up and you need to talk, please come to me.”
When he walks out, I sink into my chair and hit my head on the headrest. What the hell is going on?
“You sure you’re gonna be okay?” Reed asks me for the fourth time when we pull up in front of the daycare.
I told him the story of my meeting when he arrived at the house to get me, and his attitude went from carefree to concern. He hasn’t let go of my hand since we got in his truck. I’ve been dissecting in my head every client I have and going over conversations, emails, and all correspondence trying to think of where something messed up. He listened closely and tried to help me sort through my ramblings.
But now that we are here, I have to put my worry aside for a few hours and take the next step to introducing Reed into our lives. He comes around to open my door and help me out. When we walk in to the center, the assistant gives me a warm smile and starts to greet me. When she sees Reed, her eyes grow wide and she drops the papers in her hand. I watch her face turn red as she stutters through her hello.
She gains her composure enough for us to register Reed as an approved guardian and then I lead him back to Davis’s classroom. The kids are going wild when we walk in, and when Davis sees us, he runs full speed. Reed let’s go of my hand long enough to pick him up and then pulls my waist back to his side.
Jamie, Davis’s teacher introduces herself, and gives us the rundown on the day. He had no accidents, no falls, and no fights, so we are all good.
When we get back in the car, Reed insists on taking us out to dinner. I call Grandma Katy to invite her, and she says she’ll meet us at the restaurant with Luke. He stopped by to visit and since we weren’t home yet, he walked over to Katy’s. When I tell Reed this, he doesn’t even flinch. I guess he finally is over his insecurity about Luke.
Once our dinner is served and my wine refilled, I tell Katy and Luke about my day. Luke’s jaw ticks, telling me something is wrong.
“What’s up Luke? You look more pissed than me.” I question him.
“Ari, that’s the reason I stopped by today. Out of the blue, Sarah called me to warn me there were rumors going around the office about you. She wasn’t sure of the details, but Phillip’s assistant overheard him on the phone with a client. The client seemed to be complaining about you. His assistant has told everyone that will listen that your job is on the line.”
Suddenly dinner doesn’t appeal to me and the wine I’m sipping tastes sour. I feel the color drain from my face and my eyes sting. “You’re kidding?” I whisper.