one,” Bea said. “I’ve been racking my brain...”
“I’m not going to let Merriweather toss me on the trash heap,” Lauren said. “I’ve never had a bad report or been disciplined in over a dozen years. I’ve been a loyal and trustworthy employee.”
“I vouch for that,” Bea said, sitting up on one of the stools at the breakfast bar. “I’m sorry this is happening, Lauren. Divorce can get so ugly.”
“I’m learning that.”
When Bea was leaving about forty minutes later, Lauren handed her a centerpiece. “Merry Christmas,” she said. “I had intended to bring you one this week.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll treasure it. I’m devastated. After all these years of knowing each other, our friendship came so recently. I can’t bear this.”
“No matter what happens this week, we will stay friends. And now you know how to find my house.”
* * *
Going to work every day was a terrible strain, but Lauren managed to keep from letting on that she knew. If she had not had Beau to talk to, to sleep with, it would have been so much harder. On Thursday afternoon she left early and went by a local flower shop and bought their greenery scraps for a pittance. She made a long thin centerpiece that would fit on Sylvie’s dining table. She texted her, not knowing what Sylvie’s holiday schedule might be, and said that she thought she might have Friday afternoon free and wondered if she could stop by.
Sylvie Emerson returned the text and asked Lauren to please stop by.
And right on schedule, as promised, the head of Human Resources came to her office with a couple of assistants and explained that for budget considerations, Lauren’s position was being terminated. When Lauren asked, she was told no severance package was being offered, but she was entitled to unemployment insurance.
“You’re terminating me, without cause, and offering no severance or benefit package?” she asked.
“I’m very sorry,” the HR director said. “I’m just following instructions. If you plan to appeal, here are the steps you should consider taking.” And with an obvious nervous tremor, she handed Lauren a sheet of paper.
Lauren looked at the page with a list of suggestions, then looked at the director. Termination, no severance, no exit package, no benefits. This was somehow related to her divorce, it had to be.
“I’ll certainly take this into consideration. Thank you. Can you get me a cart to help me get my belongings to the car?”
“Absolutely,” the director said, relieved. “And my assistants will help you.”
Lauren sat in the parking lot of Merriweather Foods and called Beau. “It happened,” she said. “It really happened. No severance, no nothing. I was expecting it and yet I’m still stunned.”
“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “I’ve been researching and looking for good attorneys. Are you going home now?”
“No. I’m going to Sylvie’s house to give her a centerpiece. I was planning to do this anyway and now I’m going to ask her advice. She must know Merriweather, she once sat on their board of directors. Will I see you later?”
“Of course. Would you like to go out? Stay in?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’d like to cry but for some reason I can’t. Let me call you after talking to my friend.”
When Sylvie answered the door the first thing she said was, “Oh, how perfectly amazing!” referring to the greenery. When she heard what had happened to Lauren she said, “That’s just impossible! That was not how Merriweather treated employees! If it was, I would never have served on their board!” And finally she said, “Something is very wrong and I’m going to help you get to the bottom of this.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Christmas would be a negotiation from now on and Lauren accepted this. That’s how it is after divorce and with grown children who have coupled up.
Cassie and Jeremy flew in from Boston on Saturday; Christmas Eve was Monday. They came directly to Lauren’s house, moved their bags into the guest room and had a snack before going to Menlo Park where Jeremy’s family lived. “Do you have plans for tonight?” Cassie asked.
“I’m at your disposal,” Lauren said. “At some point we should talk about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and where you’d like to spend them. We have a flood of invitations but I know you guys have to make plans with Jeremy’s family. But can I just tell you how thrilled I am that you’ll stay here? Thank you. I know that in the future I’ll share you with Jeremy’s family.”
“That’s