its logical conclusion, I’d have no alternative but to face them. I took measured steps to the elevator from his office, contemplating my selection of ever-dwindling options in the process. After the doors closed, the elevator glided down the shaft, and as it did, I swallowed and feared for the worst.
As it reached the lab floor and the doors opened, the elevator chimed, an annoying reminder of the task ahead. Stepping out, my mind flooded with horrific scenarios. In fact, the closer I got to the lab, the more certain I became I absolutely could not do as he’d suggested. My stomach fluttered and the skin on my fingers went clammy as I reached for the door handle.
I took one last inhale as I wrapped my shaky digits around it.
Like it or not, I’d have to find a way to play their game. This possible promotion and the money coming with it were too much for me to risk losing. And besides, there was still the tiniest of chances they hadn’t tampered with my cultures. Disregarding my instincts, I put Gabe’s advice aside for the time being.
There was no sense making waves. Not when I was this close to the finish line.
I glanced around as I entered the lab and in an effort to make my reappearance there as inconspicuous as possible, I walked straight towards my workstation, head down and eyes tracing a few inches ahead of my feet.
“Fiona…” I heard Melissa whisper as I passed by them. “Wait.”
I didn’t stop.
Ignoring her, I kept moving until I reached my workstation. Even so, I had no doubt they’d be right behind me, forked tongues lashing at me with innuendo. Almost before I realized it, they stood at the far end of my workstation, opposite one another, staring me down like a hawk homes in on a hapless field mouse.
“What did Gabe want?” Amanda said.
“Yeah,” Melissa began, adding to Amanda’s intrusiveness. “You were gone for over an hour. What happened?”
“What do you mean?” I replied, trying to diffuse the intrusive nature of their comments. “Nothing.”
Melissa scoffed. “Fiona, I can count on one hand the number of times Amanda and I have been summoned to Gabe’s office in all the years we’ve worked here.”
Bending her arm at the elbow, she raised her hand and touched her thumb and index finger together, forming a zero. And just like that, they were right back in high school mode, assuming the worst about Gabe and me.
In that moment, I realized telling them the truth in this situation would be all but impossible. Rather, I had to say something that would make them happy or, I’d been reprimanded and at the same time discourage them from trying anything else to set me back in the meantime. But before I could utter a single syllable, Melissa continued her not-so-subtle accusations.
“Look at you, Fiona. You’re blushing!”
“Yeah,” Amanda said with eagerness in her tone. “Something must have happened. You’re turning bright red.”
Melissa leaned over the edge of my workstation, locking her eyes on me like a beat detective stares down a petty thief. “Come on, Fiona. You can tell us.”
I frowned at them. “There’s nothing…” I began as I forced a swallow down my throat. “… to tell.”
Amanda pointed at me. “You’re lying right now. What’s the big deal, Fiona?”
“Yeah,” Melissa said as she began to rub her hands together. “Spill it. What happened? Did he kiss you?”
“What?” I replied, as I grew increasingly alarmed at the direction their questions headed. “Kiss me? No. What makes you say that?”
Amanda paused for a moment and leaned away from me. Her gaze traveled up and down my face as she studied me. Just then, her eyes widened and she angled her upper body toward Melissa as she whispered something to her. Afterward, the two looked towards one another and began to snicker. In spite of my efforts to downplay it, this couldn’t have gone much worse. However, before long, their laughter simmered down. It was then I found out how
As it reached the lab floor and the doors opened, the elevator chimed, an annoying reminder of the task ahead. Stepping out, my mind flooded with horrific scenarios. In fact, the closer I got to the lab, the more certain I became I absolutely could not do as he’d suggested. My stomach fluttered and the skin on my fingers went clammy as I reached for the door handle.
I took one last inhale as I wrapped my shaky digits around it.
Like it or not, I’d have to find a way to play their game. This possible promotion and the money coming with it were too much for me to risk losing. And besides, there was still the tiniest of chances they hadn’t tampered with my cultures. Disregarding my instincts, I put Gabe’s advice aside for the time being.
There was no sense making waves. Not when I was this close to the finish line.
I glanced around as I entered the lab and in an effort to make my reappearance there as inconspicuous as possible, I walked straight towards my workstation, head down and eyes tracing a few inches ahead of my feet.
“Fiona…” I heard Melissa whisper as I passed by them. “Wait.”
I didn’t stop.
Ignoring her, I kept moving until I reached my workstation. Even so, I had no doubt they’d be right behind me, forked tongues lashing at me with innuendo. Almost before I realized it, they stood at the far end of my workstation, opposite one another, staring me down like a hawk homes in on a hapless field mouse.
“What did Gabe want?” Amanda said.
“Yeah,” Melissa began, adding to Amanda’s intrusiveness. “You were gone for over an hour. What happened?”
“What do you mean?” I replied, trying to diffuse the intrusive nature of their comments. “Nothing.”
Melissa scoffed. “Fiona, I can count on one hand the number of times Amanda and I have been summoned to Gabe’s office in all the years we’ve worked here.”
Bending her arm at the elbow, she raised her hand and touched her thumb and index finger together, forming a zero. And just like that, they were right back in high school mode, assuming the worst about Gabe and me.
In that moment, I realized telling them the truth in this situation would be all but impossible. Rather, I had to say something that would make them happy or, I’d been reprimanded and at the same time discourage them from trying anything else to set me back in the meantime. But before I could utter a single syllable, Melissa continued her not-so-subtle accusations.
“Look at you, Fiona. You’re blushing!”
“Yeah,” Amanda said with eagerness in her tone. “Something must have happened. You’re turning bright red.”
Melissa leaned over the edge of my workstation, locking her eyes on me like a beat detective stares down a petty thief. “Come on, Fiona. You can tell us.”
I frowned at them. “There’s nothing…” I began as I forced a swallow down my throat. “… to tell.”
Amanda pointed at me. “You’re lying right now. What’s the big deal, Fiona?”
“Yeah,” Melissa said as she began to rub her hands together. “Spill it. What happened? Did he kiss you?”
“What?” I replied, as I grew increasingly alarmed at the direction their questions headed. “Kiss me? No. What makes you say that?”
Amanda paused for a moment and leaned away from me. Her gaze traveled up and down my face as she studied me. Just then, her eyes widened and she angled her upper body toward Melissa as she whispered something to her. Afterward, the two looked towards one another and began to snicker. In spite of my efforts to downplay it, this couldn’t have gone much worse. However, before long, their laughter simmered down. It was then I found out how
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