Fight

“Your 7:30, Ms. Cortez.” Marleen, the brittle secretary says, after she opens the door. Ms. Cortez looks up at you behind the lone imposing desk. You can see the skyline of the city sprawled out behind her, but her eyes are glued to yours, so you don’t dare look away. 

“Come, sit.” she says, and motions to one of two grey leather chairs. You sit down, the seemingly plush chair turns out to be stiff and unyielding. You notice a pigeon sitting on the railing of Ms. Cortez’s private balcony. 

“Something interesting outside,” she addresses you, and you look back at her. You can’t tell if she’s being genuine or sarcastic, you go with the latter. 

“It’s just a very gorgeous day out.” you say.

“Hmm..” she says without so much as a glance outside. “I suppose it is.”

“If we lived on the coast I would even consider going to the beach today.” you say. You’re so far off track, you don't even know where you were headed. 

“Yes that would be nice.”

“I—”

“Is this what you made an appointment for, Evans? To talk about the weather?”

Evans. Not Claire. Not even Ms. Evans. Just Evans.

“Oh um… No, ma’am.” You try to get my mental flashcards in order and take a deep breath. “I wanted to tell you something.”

“And that would be…” she prompts you to continue with a motion of her hand.

Just say it, you thought. You’ll regret it if you don’t.

Another deep breath. “IthinkIdeserveapromotion.”

It comes out so fast you aren't even sure you said it. Ms. Cortez leans back in her chair with her arms crossed. An amused smile creeps onto her face.

“So that’s what this is about.” her smirk sticks to you like glue. “You want to move up to the big leagues.” 

“Yes, ma’am” Your heart beats in every part of your body. Ms.Cortez looks up at the ceiling for a moment in thought. Then back at you.

“I don’t think you’re ready.” 

“What?” 

“I’ve been watching you for a while,” she leans her elbows on the desk, arms still crossed. “You have a good work ethic, everyone on staff loves you, and you have the highest turnaround rate of anybody in this building.” 

“Not everyone on staff,” you say. “Marleen hates me.”

“Marleen hates everyone.”

“So why don’t—”

“Because you can’t take charge. You scheduled this meeting asking for promotion, but instead you talked about the weather for far longer than necessary. You could barely get the words out of your mouth.”

“But how—”

“Because the next step up from your position is Branch Manager. I need someone who can walk into a room and take charge. Someone who can make executive decisions without batting an eye. Someone who fights for what they want.” she sighs. “And that doesn’t sound like you.”

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. Your body is screaming cry cry cry cry, but you hold yourself together long enough to say “I understand.” and leave the room.

Once the door closes behind you, you can feel your body start to shudder. All you can here is Ms. Cortez say “You’re not ready” Over, and over, and over again. Marleen looks at you from her desk, her mouth drawn into a permanent pucker, like she’s just eaten a lemon. Behind her on the wall, the company slogan in large black print reads ‘Lose your battle, come back stronger.’

Someone who fights for what they want. And that doesn’t sound like you.

You grit your teeth and swallow back the river of theirs threatening to break free, and before you can talk yourself out of it. You turn around and march back into Ms. Cortez’s office. 

She looks up when you walk in.

“I deserve that promotion.” you look her dead in the eyes. “I’m great at my job and I love it too. I’m sorry that I’m not willing to slit anyone’s throat to get where I want to be. But I have poured myself into this job for seven years and there is no one in this building more qualified and passionate about what we do. Give me the promotion and let me prove it to you”

Ms. Cortez raises her hands and slow-claps. “Bravo.” she says. “I wasn’t sure you had it in you.”

“I wasn't sure either.” You say.

Ms. Cortez extends her hand and you shake it. “Congratulations,”  the corner of her mouth turns up. “New Branch Manager.”

“Are you serious?” Your mouth drops open.

“You proved me wrong.” Ms. Cortez says. “And I hope you continue on the same path. Branch number thirty-seven will be lucky to have you.”

“Thirty-seven?” your brow furrows. “I thought you’d be promoting me within branch twenty-three. So I could continue to work here.”

“Branch twenty-three already has a manager; Sindy. She just got back from maternity leave, so my gift to her won’t be a demotion. Branch Thirty-Seven’s manager quit, meaning there’s an opening there.”

“So I’ll have to drive downtown everyday for work.”

“Yes, well of course we could avoid that if I give the promotion to someone else.”

“No no no. I’ll do it.” The salary raise will surely cover the extra transportation costs.

“Okay good.” she says. “Now, I have my eight O’clock soon and you have to get back to work. Don’t make me regret my decision.”

“You won’t” you say as you exit the room again, this time with a smile you can’t wipe off your face.

 Marleen looks at you again. 

“Are you going back in there? Or can I send the next girl in?” her tone is sour. 

“Send her in.” You say. “I got what I needed.”

You walk past her desk, grabbing a mint from the glass bowl as you pass. 

“Millennials…” you hear Marleen grumble as you walk further away. “Arrogant and selfish… She can’t even ask for a mint she’s so entitled…” 

You look back to see her glaring at the ‘Take One’ sign by the mint bowl.

“Disrespectful.” she mutters.

You’ll be glad to move to a new location if it means you never have to see Marleen’s wrinkled face ever again.