any good. I was going to have to try another approach. I just didn’t know what that approach was going to be. For now, I needed to deal with my people. I straightened my blouse and opened my office door.
I walked to Arthur’s desk and found him badmouthing me and Nash. “Arthur,” I said with surprise when I heard him call me a bitch.
“I’m going,” he growled.
I looked at the woman he was complaining to. “Can you excuse us?”
“They’re thin walls,” Arthur snapped. “Just because they can’t see us, they can hear us. They all heard what happened. Thanks for that.”
“I didn’t do it, Arthur,” I said and did my best to stay calm. “Do you want to tell me your side?”
“It doesn’t matter, does it? You let him fire me.”
“I didn’t let him do anything. I was on a call in my office. I’m asking you what happened?”
Arthur stood up and glared at me. “I was taking a break.”
“You were on a break?”
“No, I was taking a few minutes to grab a drink of lukewarm water since we aren’t allowed to have bottled water anymore.”
“You are welcome to bring your own bottles of water,” I corrected.
He scoffed. “There you go. Be a good little soldier for your new boss.”
“You were standing around and he saw you,” I said. “Is that what happened?”
“I wasn’t the only one.”
“Okay, then explain to me how you are the one that got fired.”
“I’m not going to stand around and let him disrespect me,” he said. “He is a smug asshole, and I don’t care if he owns the entire state. I work here and I do my best to make every client happy. You know how hard I work. Spending five minutes talking and drinking water does not affect my job performance.”
He had a good point. “I will talk to him.”
“Don’t bother. I’m done. I wouldn’t come back here if he begged.”
I knew there was no way Nash would ever beg. “Arthur, I wish you the best of luck.”
“Whatever. You’re falling in step behind him. All of you aren’t going to last much longer. Good luck.”
He walked out making sure everyone knew he was pissed and disgruntled. I could understand why he and Nash did not get along. Arthur could rub some people the wrong way, but he was a damn good employee, and his absence was going to be difficult.
“Everyone, I know that was tough, but we still have clients that need our attention.”
“Is he right?” Lana asked.
“Who?”
“Arthur. Are we all going to be fired?”
“Lana, Arthur was angry. We have to expect growing pains. Things have to change. We embrace change. We’ll get better.”
I walked back to his office. I was in much better control over my emotions. I knocked once.
“What?” he barked.
Not exactly the best way to start a conversation. I opened the door and stepped inside. He looked at me and for a brief moment I saw the exhaustion in his eyes.
“Round two?” he asked.
I closed the door behind me and sat down. “I’d prefer we not think of it as a round.”
“Fine.”
“We need to figure out how we are going to run this place,” I told him. “We are never going to agree on management styles. You are not going to be around forever. You’re here for a week, maybe two, and then you are going to go. If you want to be the manager, then you should plan on moving your permanent offices here.”
“Why?”
“Because I won’t be here to run your business,” I said.
“Are you quitting?”
“I’m either the manager or you are.”
“So if I’m the manager, you won’t work for me?” he asked.
I had to think about it for a second. “I would not be the tax director if you are the acting manager.”
“What role do you think I should have?” he asked.
He was being sarcastic, which pissed me off. I was trying to have an adult conversation and he was being a smartass. “I think you are better suited to being owner rather than manager. You do not have people skills.”
He smirked. “Because I fired a man that slacked off and was insubordinate.”
“Because you don’t understand how to talk to other humans in general,” I said.
“That’s your opinion.”
“And you don’t care,” I said with a sigh.
“These people walk all over you,” he said. “I’ve tried to get you to stand up to them, but you won’t. I took action and you can benefit from it. Use this to your advantage.”