shitshow.
Not that I believed in omens, but if I did, starting the week that way surely wasn’t a good one.
Chapter 2
Noa
* * *
As the door closed in my face, I stood staring at it in stunned silence for an extended moment.
I guessed the silent part wasn’t too outlandish—I was alone, so there was probably not too much to be said without seeming like a crazy cat lady, but maybe if I’d been more on form, and less shocked out of my brain at what had just happened, I would have at least been able to utter an “are you for fucking real,” even if only to myself. As it was, I had nothing.
It was 8 a.m—a mere few minutes into what was supposed to have been a month-long temping assignment, and I’d fallen at the first hurdle. I’d failed to even get into the office before I’d been fired on the spot. And to think that I’d spent the whole weekend worrying and fretting that I’d do or say something that would get me fired a few hours or days into the job. I hadn’t anticipated being rejected before I’d even had the chance to get my ass on the seat.
The fact was, I wasn’t a PA, and never really had been. I had done plenty of temping when I was younger and putting myself through art school, though, and had picked up enough knowledge that I figured I could do what I had done then, and fake it until I made it.
* * *
In any case, I’d been willing to give it a go and hope for the best. Not only did I need money, but I needed to get back into the world of work. In fact, into the world in general. It was time. I felt like the reverse of a butterfly—like I’d gone into my cocoon all vibrant, light and optimistic, and I’d come out a caterpillar. Not even one of the cool or interesting ones, like the bumblebee striped or the fluorescent green ones. I was a regular ugly, boring, drab, brown caterpillar, re-emerging into a bright and colorful world.
And to make matters worse, not only had I not soared like a beautiful fluttery butterfly, but I’d failed to launch altogether. I’d had the door slammed in my face before I could even be exposed as the PA fraud that I was. I literally didn’t even get to start. That had to be some kind of record.
I took a few more moments and some deep breaths in order to recalibrate, then I pulled my shoulders back, tipped my chin forward, and held my head high. I had nothing to be ashamed of—I wished I could say the same for the guy who’d so rudely dismissed me, after he’d opened his office door looking like I’d woken him up, and smelling, unless I was mistaken, of stale booze.
I took the elevator down to the reception area, and was about to leave the building when I had a change of heart. I went across to the coffee shop on the other side of the lobby, ordered myself a triple shot, and took a seat before pulling my phone out to call Carla at the agency.
“Personnel Matters, this is Veronica speaking, how may I help you?”
“Oh, hello, Veronica, it’s Noa Hale here. I have been dispatched on a job, and there’s a problem. May I speak with Carla, please?
“Of course. Putting you through now.”
I explained the situation as quickly and unemotionally as I could, but when I got to the end of the story, I was met by nothing but dead air.
“Hello? Hello? Are you still there?”
“Hi. Oh yeah, I’m still here. I’m... working out what I just heard.”
“Hahaha! I know the feeling. I’m kind of still figuring out what I just experienced, and believe me, even though I was there, I don’t think I have any more idea than you do.”
“I hear you, and I’m sorry you had to go through that.” There was vigorous tapping at her end. “And he offered to pay you for a month to go away? Did I hear that part right?”
“You did.” I could see why she was disbelieving. The whole thing was bizarre as fuck. What kind of money did someone have to play with if they saw nothing wrong in paying a total random not to do any work?
Not that I was to be paid much more than a pittance, but that wasn’t the point. He hadn’t even blinked