Chapter 135

Andy showed up just as lunch was ending, a cellophane-wrapped sandwich in his hands from down in the bodega. “Hey guys,” he sighed, lumping down into his seat.

“Where were you, bud?” you asked.

“Called in sick,” Andy scowled, unwrapping his sandwich. “What’s her name from HR called me back and said I had to come in for the afternoon.”

“Oh,” you said noncommittally.

“Bummer,” Eric said.

“You missed some fireworks earlier,” Gemma offered.

“Hmm?”

“John got fired,” Gemma said. “And Joy threw a mini tantrum.”

“She got that upset about John leaving?” Andy asked.

“No. They were separate events,” Eric said.

“Well, they were connected,” you countered.

“I guess, yeah,” Eric said.

“OK, that’s enough of the Who’s On First routine,” Gemma said.

“Who’s on first?” Andy asked.

“I’m on second,” you said.

“Oh my God,” Gemma said, burying her head in her hands as you chuckled.

“Wait, so why are you still here if you’re fired?” Andy asked you.

“Because I got un-fired,” you said.

“Hmm,” he thought about it, then nodded. “Nice.”

You all got back to work as Andy began eating, and then eventually joined you. The minutes crept by, and you and Gemma started frowning at each other more as Sabrina didn’t reappear. You’d texted her, and the group chat, between the three of you, asking if she was alright and got nothing back.

Then, just before 1:30 PM, Sabrina bustled in and grabbed her seat. “Don’t say anything,” she said to all of you, and flung open her laptop and started typing.

Less than a minute later Joy strode in. “Well, it seems like our laziest intern is back,” she said, sneering at Andy.

“Wait, who?” he asked, earnestly clueless.

Joy rolled her eyes and sat down at her chair at the head of the table. “I just had the loveliest lunch with my Mother and one of her biggest clients,” she said. “Let’s just say that I’m getting the recognition I obviously deserve after my years of hard work. It’s too bad none of you are stepping up so far to learn at my feet, or else I might be able to include you in my rewards.”

You just kept working, trying your best to ignore her passive-aggressive gloating aimed at you. It wasn’t proof of anything. Yet.

The afternoon started to turn into a slog of work. A couple of associates came in and dumped some big stacks of documents on you all to do word checks on, and Joy wasn’t any help in tackling it since she ‘only worked for the Partners.’

Then you felt a little guilty because just as the rest of you were splitting up the stack, Garrison stuck his head into the conference room, pointed at you and made a ‘follow me’ gesture. You frowned your sorry, and a bit of your worry, to Gemma and Sabrina and followed. He led you back to his office. “Shut the door and sit,” he said.

You did, perching on the edge of the chair with your nervousness.

Garrison sat heavily in his own chair and stared at you across his messy desk. It easily lasted more than a minute, and you felt all sorts of pressure to just fill the silence but you kept your mouth shut, not wanting to say the wrong thing. Finally, Garrison sighed and shook his head. “What the fuck am I going to do with you?”