Aiden and Brandy looked confused. They’d been the ones to hold the cab Kat ordered, so they weren’t present when their boss made his demands. “Why St. Patrick’s Day?” Brandy asked. “For kitchen appliances?”
Kat shrugged. “I couldn’t say. Maybe they think they’ll sell more blenders for drinks or something.”
“Anyone spending their St. Patrick’s Day shopping online doesn’t have the social life to throw the kind of party that requires a blender,” Aiden said, following up with several gulps of his drink. “If he’s charging them extra for the expedited campaign, they’re wasting their money. This needed to happen way sooner.” Aiden wasn’t wrong, but the chances that either their boss or the client would listen to him were slim to none.
Several platters of shareable food followed shortly after the drinks. It was always delicious, and everyone at the table went a little quieter to focus on the food. Though her friends seemed relaxed and ready for the weekend, Kat realized she couldn’t really join them. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the work she was going to have to do that night and the following day to get a jump on the new deadline.
She was already composing emails to graphic designers and influencers, begging them to do far more than they originally signed up for. It felt terrible to be the bad guy, but that was her job. One thing was for sure: she had no intention to send them thinly veiled threats the way her boss had suggested. That was a great way to lose people permanently, and she knew the onetaking the heat for something like that would be her, regardless of whether she was just following directions.
“Whose week is it?” Brandy asked. They took turns paying for their Fridays, and she had apparently lost track. So had Kat, come to think of it. Hopefully, it wasn’t her day. She wasn’t sure she had enough.
Jessie chimed in after refilling her plate. “It’s my week.”
Kat heaved a sigh of relief, and Brandy nudged her when she noticed. “Broke again?”
“Just until I get paid.”
“You need a loan or anything?”
“No.” Kat smiled at her friend. “But thank you.” Brandy had a wealthy family, so she was rarely wanting for cash. She was always willing to help out where she could, which Kat was grateful for. But there was also no reason anyone who had a decent, full-time job should ever need to rely on a generous friend with wealthy parents. It all made Kat wonder whether this lifestyle was even worth it. She made more money than she did when she was younger, but she also had more and higher bills. It felt like the universe took stock of what she made in life and planned her obligations to match it.
Before she’d even finished her drink, her boss was texting her.Heard back from anyone yet?
I haven’t even made it home yet, Kat answered.
You live that far from the office?he asked.
No, I’m just in the middle of dinner.
Dinner??? This is an emergency!
She could almost hear his tone of voice from the way he texted her. She ignored his urgency.I still need to eat. I’ll get on it first thing when I get home.
You’re eating out?!
That did it. How was it any of his business where she was eating? And was she not allowed to have a couple hours off when she’d been working all day and would likely be working long into the night?
“I’m not a machine,” she muttered and silenced her phone. But however rebellious she may have been feeling, not even the allure of Louie’s was strong enough to overwhelm her feelings of guilt and obligation. She stood. “I’ve got to get going, guys. Lots of work to do.”
“Aww, really?” Jessie whined. “But we haven’t even had a second round.”
Kat smiled. It was nice to have friends who wanted her around, but her job was being held over her head, yet again, and she didn’t feel she had the freedom to stay against her boss’s wishes. “Love you guys,” she said. “But I’ve gotta jam. See you next week.”
Her friends said goodbye, sounding a little bummed that she had to leave. But as soon as she turned a corner, she could hear them laughing and joking just as they had been before she left. “Good,” she said under her breath. “They deserve a break.” Everyone she knew had worked so hard that week, and she didn’t begrudge them a bit of fun in their off hours. She just wished she didn’t have to leave them.
Her studio apartment was within walking distance of Louie’s, which was one of the many reasons she favored it for Fridays.She didn’t even have to get a ride home. She walked three blocks alone on the well-lit downtown streets, texting her boss the whole way there.
On my way home. Will start as soon as I get there.
Good,he replied.Keep me posted.
She hadn’t eaten enough at Louie’s, so as soon as she got into her apartment and switched all the lights on, she went straight for the fridge. Cold leftovers from last night’s takeout was all she had time for. She sat down at her computer with her boxed dinner and started composing emails.
If Kat did anything well, it was wording difficult conversations in just the right way. There was no chance any of the graphic designers and influencers she was about to contact would be happy to hear from her, but at least she could soften the blow. The truth was, her boss didn’t know how lucky he was that she frequently ignored his advice when it came to communication. He would have lost the support of everyone who worked with them if she did exactly what he told her to do.
Only a couple of the emails she sent out were replied to right away, and just as she expected, they weren’t happy. She apologized on behalf of their client and told them why they were chosen, what they did well, and how important they were to the campaign. It wasn’t quite empty flattery. Everything she said was true, but she focused on building them up, making them feel their importance rather than subtly threatening them. There was no guarantee this method would work, but she was certain her boss’s proposed method would not. At least this way they had a chance.
At one point, she looked over at the clock and saw that it was three in the morning. The last few messages could be sent first thing the next day. She was tired, and she crashed into her bed fully clothed, without getting ready for sleep at all.