Leo

by K R Max

  Dragging my focus back to the matter at hand, I sit down behind my desk and gesture for her to sit in the other chair. She does, wiping her hands on a rag to clear off the worst of the grease.

  “Frank shouldn’t be—”

  She waves a hand, cutting me off mid-flow. “Frank is nothing I can’t handle. I’ve met a dozen guys like him. They all think they know better than the girl, simply because they’ve got a dick. Like automotive knowledge comes downloaded with the Y chromosome. Whatever. He’s not the problem.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “He’s not?”

  “No. It’s Julio I need to talk to you about.”

  “Julio? Why? What’s he done?”

  She looks confused. “Besides be an awesome mechanic, nothing. Except for the small matter, which I’m not supposed to tell you about but fuck that, by the way, of him not having transport.”

  I hear the words but they don’t make any sense. What mechanic doesn’t have a vehicle of their own? “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, his kid’s sick and his wife needs the car to get him treated. Julio’s been walking three hours to and from work every day since he started here. Only now, because of the extra hours we’re putting in, sometimes he’s sleeping by the side of the road instead of going home, just so he can sleep at all. Normally, I wouldn’t make assumptions about anyone’s financial situation, least of all the boss’s, but I saw your house. Is there any chance you can help him out? He’s really good, and really respectful, before you ask. A pleasure to work with, to be honest, but he’s running himself ragged trying to handle this job on almost no sleep.”

  I stare at her. I’m vaguely aware that now is not the time to be sporting a hard-on the length and girth of a double wide axle but just when I think I know this girl, she goes and surprises me again.

  “Julio has a kid? I thought he was a kid.” Not the smartest thing to say, and seeing her not quite restrain herself from rolling her eyes, she agrees with me.

  “He’s twenty-five,” she informs me, “and he needs help.”

  Here I thought she wanted to talk about Frank being an asshole, and she’s not even fazed by it. She knows her shit, she can brush off disrespectful idiots, and she cares about her colleagues. Instead of getting mad about a douchebag, she wants to talk about a co-worker who needs help beyond what she can give him.

  Damn, she’s going to make a great manager.

  ***

  Charlie

  I haven’t seen Leo since I spoke to him about Julio. He stayed in his office when I came back out to continue working and he hasn’t come out once. I do my best to focus on what I’m doing. Panel beating is not the kind of thing you can do on autopilot, but I’m glad when Sheila puts her head in the door and says dinner’s arrived. It gives me an excuse to go and knock on Leo’s door.

  Part of me is embarrassed at how much I miss seeing him around, and I can’t help wondering if I said something wrong this morning when I told him about Julio. I know the guy swore me to secrecy, but it’s not right. He’s working so hard, and he’s got a hell of a lot going on at home. He shouldn’t have to survive on even less sleep than the rest of us just because he’s a good guy who’s making sure his son can get to hospital when he needs to.

  I’ve also been wondering if I handled the Frank thing wrong. Maybe I should have let Leo say his piece, whatever it was going to be, but really, time’s precious and Frank isn’t going to change. Julio’s situation, though, that can be changed. Why waste energy on Frank?

  I hustle over to the office and knock on the door. I hear something inside that sounds like ‘here’, so I open the door and go in.

  "Is she qualified? Man, she's got qualifications you've never even dreamed of. Seriously, this woman blows my mind every damn time. Who would have thought that kind of talent existed way out here in the sticks?"

  He’s on the phone, and I’ve never seen him so animated, at least, not in this room. I push away memories of what we got up to on our day off. He looks happy, grinning widely, his face lit up. He sees me and his eyes widen.

  “I’ve got to go. You get that taken care of, okay?” He hangs up and I wonder what I interrupted. Running what I heard back through my head, my initial reaction is pleasure that he’s speaking so highly of me to someone else.

  Then I can’t help wondering if he was talking about my work at all. That queasy feeling is back, rolling in my stomach. Much as I try to ignore it, it won’t shift.

  “I was just telling Colin in HR all about you,” he says, smiling at me.

  I muster up a smile in return. It’s probably best not to think too much about what I overheard. Easier said than done, though, and I can’t help the nasty twisting sensation in my belly.

  “Sheila’s got dinner ready in Reception,” I tell him, although I’m already planning on making some excuse. I don’t think I can eat right now. Maybe if he sticks around through the meal, I can talk to him and set my mind at ease that I’m not just some bit of skirt he’s passing the time with while he’s stuck out here in the middle of nowhere.

  “I can’t stay,” he tells me, and my heart stutters. “I have to head out to take care of something. I’ll be back later.”

  He brushes his lips over mine, a cool, perfunctory gesture, then slides past me and out of the room. I stand there, my fingers on my lips, wondering if it’s already over.

  “You coming?”

  I turn to see Julio in the doorway, a confused look on his face.

  “You gotta eat, Charlie. You’re working as hard as the rest of us.”

  I smile at him and nod. He’s right. And whatever’s going on, or not, between me and Leo, I still need this job. The money’s too good to walk away from. I push away the sick fear of having to walk in here every day from now on and see him but not touch him, not even look at him… I know I’m overreacting. It’s fine. Everything’s fine. He’s probably just sorting something out for Julio and it’s got nothing to do with me.

  “I know. Let’s chow down.”

  I follow him into Reception, where Sheila’s laying out paper plates and boxes of Chinese takeout.

  “Chinese again,” she says apologetically. “There’s only so many places that’ll deliver here.”

  “I’m not complaining,” I tell her with a smile. “Chinese is my favorite.”

  She gives me a sideways look, then checks around before lowering her voice. “Congratulations on hooking Leo. If I’d known that was what it took, I’d have broken out the Auto Shop Barbie look years ago. And maybe shown more interest in my brother’s car.”

  I stare at her. Auto Shop Barbie? She thinks I came here looking for a man?

  I shake my head. “That’s not—”

  “Whatever,” she says with a sly smile. “It’s none of my business. Be happy.”

  She hands out the boxes of takeout, pushing some sweet and sour chicken into my hands. I barely notice the flavor, too busy wondering what my life’s going to be like from here on out if Frank thinks I deliberately hooked the boss.

  “Oh,” says Sheila, dumping some rice into her Kung Pao Chicken. “There’s some paperwork on the boss’s desk he wants you to sign. Told me to tell you.”

  I’m confused. “I saw him right before he left. He didn’t say anything then.”

  She shrugs. “I guess he forgot. He is the boss, after all. He’s got a lot on his plate.”

  My food turns to ash in my mouth. She’s right. He is the boss. What in hell was I thinking, taking up with him? Oh God, what’s the paperwork about? Probably a restraining order. Maybe I was that bad in bed? Or maybe the thrill was in the chase. He’s a billionaire, he probably likes variety. The guy looks like a god, he could have any woman he wanted. Maybe he’s already bored with me. Maybe I wasn’t interesting enough, and God knows I have no experience, except for him. Maybe I wasn’t enough to keep his interest, and now I’m losing him.

  I hate myself for being so insecure about all this, but I can’t shake the memory of Gerry finding excuses
not to kiss me. Eventually he told me I just wasn’t any good at it. Maybe I wasn’t any good at sex, either? Leo didn’t seem to have any problems with my lack of expertise yesterday, but it’s not like we talked about it. Maybe I was just the nearest female.

  But you saw him shut Sheila down, says the voice of reason.

  Yeah, responds Insecure Charlie. Maybe he already went there and didn’t fancy a second trip.

  I put my food down. I need to know what paperwork Sheila’s talking about, and the only way to find out is to go and look. It’s probably something perfectly normal like a written confirmation that I’ve completed my probationary period. I’ll go and see and then I can come back and eat my dinner and stop obsessing like a madwoman.

  I enter the office and stop short. Frank is there, frowning over some papers. He looks absolutely furious, his face almost purple, a vein throbbing at his temple. I start to back out but he looks up and sees me.

  “I-I’m sorry,” I stammer. “I was told there were some papers here for me to look at.”

  His lips thin and for a moment I think he’s going to explode, but then he relaxes. Something flickers across his face too fast for me to catch it, but whatever it is makes me nervous.

  “Yeah,” he says. He rips something off the top corner of the paper in his hand and crumples it, throws it in the trash. Then he hands me the paper. “I’m really sorry.”

  I stare at him. Frank apologizing? The temptation to check outside for flying pigs is almost overwhelming, but instead I focus on the paper in my hand.

  “It’s a… termination notice.” I can’t believe it. There I was thinking I’d have to ignore Leo once he broke it off, and it turns out, he doesn’t want to see me either. To the point where he’s actually firing me. “But...why?”

  I look up at Frank, hoping, praying he’s got an answer. I need this job. I need it. But he just shakes his head.

  “I have no idea. It’s not my choice. I mean, I didn’t give you a lot of credit at first, but you’re a brilliant mechanic. I was all set to hire you on permanently at the end of your probationary period, but Leo’s the man in charge. There’s nothing I can do.”

  “I don’t understand,” I murmur. I try to read the notice but the words turn blurry, running together. “I thought we were good.”

  Frank’s voice is calm, sympathetic. “I guess he moved on already, wants to clear out his mistake. Probably a billionaire thing. They don’t have to deal with the consequences of their actions like the rest of us, eh?”

  I find myself staring at him again, even more confused. “A billionaire thing?”

  For a moment he just looks at me, then he laughs and holds out an envelope. “Ha! Good one. Look, I know it’s a rough break, but this is effective immediately. Here’s your pay for the last few weeks. Clear your locker out before you leave.”

  I want to stay, want to argue, to fight it out, or at least to get a reason why. But Leo isn’t here and I don’t know when he’s coming back. Printed words don’t lie. I still can’t bring myself to read the exact wording, but the words TERMINATION NOTICE are big enough and ugly enough, stamped across the top of the page, for me to see. I have no choice. I have to leave.

  I somehow make it into the locker room. I pull my bag out. Most of my stuff is at Leo’s but that’s a bust. At least I’ve got some money with which to start over. I seem to remember Sheila mentioning a twenty-four hour Internet cafe in the next town. I’ll go there and figure out my next move.

  I close the locker and see Julio standing behind it. I’m so out of it I don’t even jump.

  “Hey, Julio. Bye, Julio.”

  “You’re leaving?” He looks as shattered as I feel. “Why?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t really know.”

  I leave via Reception and Sheila stares at me.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m leaving,” I tell her. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  “What? No, I—”

  “Whatever. Be happy.”

  I slide behind the wheel of my car, thankful beyond words that Leo didn’t force me to ride with him to work this morning. Firing up the engine, its throaty roar brings me the first tiny piece of solace, a balm to my aching heart.

  I make it nearly three miles down the road before tears make driving impossible and I have to pull over, sobbing my heart out over the steering wheel of the only thing I own.

  ***

  Leo

  The trip back to the office takes too damn long. I can’t wait to see Charlie’s face. I wanted to be there when she got the papers, but she’s not the only employee I’ve got and I’m well aware of the responsibilities that come from owning a national business.

  Usually I love any time I get to spend in my car. It’s peaceful. Just me, the car and the road. But today I’m restless. It’s not until I pull into the parking lot outside the auto shop and find myself scanning the area for her Mustang that I realize I miss her. I want to be near her, all the time.

  Which means not seeing her car in the lot pisses me off. At least, that’s what I want to call the feeling that sinks heavy hooked claws into my chest. It feels more like dread.

  I head into Reception. Sheila’s on the phone and I clench my fists against the need to hang up the call for her. She sees my face and cuts it short.

  “What’s up?”

  “Where’s Charlie?” I don’t waste time with pleasantries. I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Charlie has never left the premises during the day. She’s more conscientious than I am. I find myself running through possibilities in my head. She got an urgent call from a family member and had to leave. She got a terrible medical diagnosis and is even now at a hospital, undergoing a barrage of tests. She—

  “She quit.”

  My brain screeches to a halt and I stare at Sheila, who wilts visibly. “What the fuck?”

  She cringes and shrinks in her chair. “She...uh...she quit.”

  I lean over the desk, bracing both hands on it. “Why?” I ask, my voice lowering dangerously.

  She swallows. “I don’t know. I told her about the paperwork you left for her, and when she came back, she had her stuff and said she was leaving.”

  I stare at her, trying to make sense of what she’s saying. I understand the words, but it makes no sense. How could my big plan to promote her be so offensive to her that she quit?

  I stand up and stare at the wall. Did she get bored of me? Did she decide I work too much and she doesn’t want to be with someone like that? Maybe I needed to give her presents. My last, well, closest approximation to a relationship leveled all three issues at me as reasons for her leaving.

  I didn’t think Charlie needed presents, though. And she works harder than I do. And she certainly didn’t seem bored yesterday. Or any of the other times I had my hands on her.

  “Get her on the phone, then put it through to the office.”

  She nods and starts dialing. I head through to the office, then stop in the doorway. Frank’s leaning against a wall, leafing through a magazine. He looks up and sees me and drops the magazine. Am I imagining that smug look in his eyes? It’s not there when he looks up.

  “Make it quick, Frank. I’ve got a call coming in.”

  He nods, his lips twitching. “Just wondered if you’ll be hiring on an extra pair of hands.”

  I glare at him. “No, because Charlie’s coming back and we’ve got this far with just the four of us. I don’t have time to interview another bunch of prospective employees and neither do you.”

  His face closes up. “She’s coming back?”

  “Yeah, just as soon as I get her on the damn phone.”

  “Ah.” He relaxes and I narrow my eyes at him. Something’s not adding up.

  I pick up the phone and dial Reception. “Sheila, where’s Charlie?”

  “I’m sorry, boss. I can’t get hold of her. Her phone’s going straight to voicemail.”

  I resist the temptation to throw the phone at the wall. Inste
ad I thank her and hang up, then focus on Frank, who’s still looking too relaxed for my liking, considering we’re a man, er, woman down and still have a huge job to finish. “What do you know about her leaving?”

  He shrugs. “She quit. That’s all I know.”

  “Where did she go?”

  Frank sighs. “I don’t keep track of your side piece, Leo. It’s not my job.”