by Chanel Ivy
As soon as I exited the elevators, Jamie smiled up at me. “Good morning, Miss. Blackburn. You have some paperwork for me, I believe?”
“I do,” I replied as I reached into my briefcase, pulling out the yellow envelope. “Signed, sealed, and delivered. Were there any other instructions left?”
“No, ma’am. I was only told you would have sensitive documents that I needed to get to Miss. Cross as fast as possible.” Jamie leaned over, locking her computer and gathering her purse.
“Is Miss. Cross still in London?” I asked, trying to probe her for any additional information and assess her reaction.
“As far as I know, she is. If you’ll excuse me, I really have to get these documents to the courier right away. Have a good day, Miss. Blackburn,” Jamie replied bluntly, as she walked around me quickly to the elevators.
I watched her disappear into the closing silver doors. Was Jamie in on this whole thing? Did she know more than she was letting on? Could she be a spy for the people that Emma mentioned were watching over her? I’d have to do some more probing into that at another time.
I walked to my office deflated once again.
Matt welcomed me by handing me a large coffee and a yogurt bowl with a huge shit-eating grin on his face.
“Okay, I’ll bite. What’s up with you?” I asked him, putting my stuff down to unlock my door.
“Oh, nothing. Your face looks much better today, Miss. Women’s Rights.”
“Really? That didn’t take very long. How the hell did you find out already?” I asked, genuinely wanting to know how the information regarding my blowup in the gym took less than thirty minutes to make it all the way up to the fortieth floor.
“I have my spies everywhere, Mia. You know that. Plus, it’s all anyone is talking about. You really put that sexist dick head in his place, huh?” Matt smiled at me as he helped me gather my things and bring them into my office. “So, tell me everything.”
“How about I do you one better? I’ll call Human Resources now and put them on speaker so you can be a witness to the conversation?”
“Oh, my goodness, yes. I feel all tingly inside. You’re a badass, Mia. Do you know that?” Matt smiled as he helped me take my things into my office.
Matt sat down in one of the chairs at my desk like a student preparing to get an accommodation from his teacher. He was too cute reveling in the reporting of a sexist co-worker. I wondered how Matt knew Stuart, but then I remembered that Matt either knew or knew of everyone. He was the building’s very own little walking, talking black book. Well, other than for Emma. He didn’t know all of her secrets. Hell, I slept with her, and I didn’t know all of her secrets.
How did I get back on Emma again? I needed to stop thinking about her.
I put the phone on speaker and dialed the extension for Human Resources. I watched Matt wiggle in his chair with delight as I relayed what happened this morning with Stuart and the juicy details of all my past issues with him personally. I even went over all of the other concerning interactions I had witnessed in the past with additional co-workers. When I had finished recounting my side of the complaint, the Human Resources associate, Megan, let out a long drawn out-breath before speaking.
“Unfortunately, Miss. Blackburn, this is not the first complaint to come across my desk for this individual. I assure you this will be dealt with swiftly and in accordance with our no-tolerance policy for sexual harassment.”
I thought about what she said for a moment before I responded, and Matt looked at me, confused.
“Can I ask you one question, Megan?”
“Absolutely, Miss. Blackburn, anything.”
“If we have a no-tolerance policy on sexual harassment, then why is this at least the second time this is having to be reported?”
“I... ugh... well, I shouldn’t be discussing this with you, but the last report there were some what you would call grey areas, so we sent Stuart through our sexual harassment training program again. He was told that if there was another issue that he would be terminated, and that will be what happens next in this case.”
“So, this has nothing to do with the fact that I’m a Director, and I happen to work on the fortieth floor, right?”
“Ugh... no?”
“That sounded more like a question than a definitive answer. Are there any other pending sexual harassment files open at this time?”
“I apologize, but I’m not at liberty to say. I’ve already said too much. If you have no other questions on this matter, Miss. Blackburn, I should get with our Legal Department to draw up the paperwork for Stuart’s dismissal.”
“No, Megan. I don’t have any additional questions at the moment, but I will have more later. Stuart might no longer be an issue, but it sounds to me like we might have a toxic working environment, so I’ll be in touch.” With that, I clicked the speaker button to hang up.
Matt looked up at me with his fists clutched in front of his mouth, and I could tell he was smiling.
“Holy shit, girl! You’re going to burn this place to the ground, aren’t you?” he laughed.
“I just think if there is a negative working environment around here, then it needs to be rectified for the sake of the company and the employees who want to come to work and do their jobs, not prey on others. I’ve been pushed around my whole life, and I think I’m done with all that.”
“Go, bitch! And I mean bitch in the most positive way possible.”
I laughed at Matt’s response. “I know. Thank you for being here. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“I do. You’d be totally and utterly lost.”
“Can I ask you a question, Matt?”
“Shoot.”
“Have you ever experienced any sexual harassment here? Anything you may have reported that you didn’t feel was handled appropriately,” I asked him, leaning back in my chair and taking a sip of my delicious, life-giving coffee.
“Well...”
“Oh, come on, Matt. You can’t call me, Miss. Women’s Right’s and expect me not to advocate for the men in the workplace too. I care about everyone here. I know harassment and bullying has no boundaries.”
“If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m black,” he laughed, and I joined him in laughing. “But I’m also transgender. It’s difficult for me to talk about it because it was hard for my family to accept me. They really still haven’t yet. I mean, they know, but I haven’t been invited to Thanksgiving or any of the holidays with my family since I told them I was going to transition six years ago.”
I put my coffee down and grasped Matt’s hand in my own, squeezing gently. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Family can be so hard to deal with sometimes, especially when you expect them to be your support system in times of need.”
“Ain’t that the cold, mean truth?”
“I’ve never had to go through what you did, but I can imagine how difficult it was for you, and I’m sorry,” I said, standing to hug him.
Matt stood and accepted my embrace with tears in his eyes.
“Now you’ve got me all blubbery,” he smiled, wiping away his tears.
“Please know that I’m here for you if you ever need me for any reason, any reason at all. And if you want, you can do Thanksgiving with me! I’m usually alone since my husband takes the major holidays with my son, so it would be nice to have someone to cook for again.”
“That’s really nice of you. I might have to take you up on that, Mia. I’m so glad they put us together. I hated working for Mr. Stamper. He was an old fuddy-duddy, and you’re so much more fun,” Matt grinned.
“So, back to my original question. With your unique situation, have you experienced any harassment or bullying here?”
“None that I reported, and nothing happened since the one time two years ago. I was in one of the shower stalls changing into my gym clothes, and one of the dirtbag sales guys opened the curtain. I only had my shirt off, but he saw my scars from having my breasts removed,
and he called me a chopped-up freak. I just stopped going to the gym after that.”
“That’s not acceptable. No one should ever treat anyone that way, ever. He doesn’t know you and should never judge anyone like that. Is he still around?”
“I see him every now and again. He’s still in Sales, and I don’t think he’s going anywhere if you know what I mean.”
“Forever a Sales guy, huh? What’s his name? I’m not going to do anything. I just want his name to see if there are any reports on him with Human Resources when I do some research into their complaint practices. My brothers and I had some issues in school since we bounced around from country to country when my dad was in the service. We were always labeled the ‘stupid American kids’ who couldn’t keep up and whatnot. The teachers and headmasters at school never did anything because they said it was just kids being kids, so inaction hits home for me.”
“I get it. I’ll email you his name, but don’t go getting yourself into any trouble. It’s only your second week up here. Well, I’ve got work to do, and so do you. Thanks for listening and supporting me, Mia. It really means a lot.”
“Awe, shucks, Matt. You’re making me blush.” I replied with a bit of sass.
“Agh, there’s my bitch again,” he laughed as he left my office.
The rest of my day was filled with crunching numbers and talking to our top tier client’s financial managers. I got offered a trip to Tahiti on a customer’s personal mega yacht to review his client’s portfolio with him.
The business manager said his partner liked to meet those who were responsible for maintaining and growing his wealth personally. He also said it was more of a demand than a request. I told him that I’d have to get back to them on what my schedule would allow. I needed to clear this with someone else before I committed one way or the other. I wasn’t sure if this was standard business operating procedure or not. It certainly didn’t feel like it should be. I don’t know how comfortable I’d be out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean alone with a client I didn’t know.
I told Matt about the Tahiti offer, and he said I should throw caution to the wind and go. He also said I should take him with me since he’s my right-hand man and all. I agreed that if I was going to go that he’d be sitting on that boat right next to me. I needed someone to hold my hair back if I got seasick, and I couldn’t exactly ask our client to do that. Matt was already looking for new bathing suits online.
All things considered; it was a fairly productive day. I heard Stuart was fired just after lunch and escorted out of the building by security. He apparently cursed my name the entire time and made a scene. Good riddance.
I touched base with more than double the number of clients than I needed to. Everyone I talked to seemed to have heard good things about me, which was flattering. I wanted to ask who had spread the kind word, but I had a reasonably good idea of who it was. Thanks Emma.
I walked out to the parking garage and unlocked my car with the fob. Just as I opened the door, I heard footsteps behind me. Hoping it was Emma, I turned with a smile that quickly turned into a grimace as I realized it was Stuart stalking towards me with a scowl.
“You! You got me fired over one stupid comment, you bitch! What gives you the right...?”
“I’m going to stop you right there, Stuart. I didn’t get you fired. You got you fired. And it wasn’t one comment. I told you. I could have reported you in the past for dozens of offensive remarks and crude sexual gestures that aren’t acceptable in any workplace, but I didn’t, and I should have. You had been reported by someone else in the past, gone through the training, and still managed to not get it through your thick skull that you can’t treat people like that,” I replied as I tossed my briefcase into the backseat.
Stuart stepped uncomfortably close to me. I could smell that he’d been drinking.
“You have no fucking clue what I’ve gone through or what I’m capable of, but you’re going to find out,” he said through gritted teeth as he lunged at me, wrapping his hands around my throat.
I tried to scream, but his grip was too tight. I clawed my fingernails down his arms, trying to rip away his hands from my neck, but he was too strong. He pushed my back up against my car, pinning my head back onto the roof. My eyes rolled around from the ceiling of the parking garage and into Stuart’s furious bloodshot eyes. They were so full of rage, and at that moment, I knew he was going to kill me if I didn’t do something to stop him.
I felt my head get light from the lack of oxygen, so I knew I was running out of time. I managed to find the strength and pulled my knee up hard, connecting with his groin. Stuart immediately released his grip on me, and I slid down the vehicle to the cement gasping for air.
Stuart recovered quicker than I would have hoped, and he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me to the back of the car. I kicked and tried to claw at him, but he continued to pull me until we were at the bumper when he pushed me into the cement barrier. The side of my head bashed against the unforgiving surface, and bright white stars erupted in my vision as everything around me blurred.
I brought my hand to my head where the pain pulsated from, and my fingers were slick with bright red blood.
“We’re going to go for a little ride in your fancy new car,” Stuart barked out as he picked up my keys from the ground.
My vision was so blurry I couldn’t tell where he was, but I heard the sound of the trunk popping open right before he grabbed me under my arms and tossed me inside. I tried once more to yell out, but it ended up coming out as more of a cough than a scream.
“Shut up, whore,” was the last thing I remember him saying before he punched me, and everything went black.
Chapter 3
I came to, and Stuart was dragging me through an old abandoned warehouse of some sort. I was so disoriented I barely knew which way was up, but when I finally gained some of my composure back, I kicked, punched, and screamed with every bit of energy I had left.
Stuart threw me to the ground and kicked me in the gut knocking all of the air from my lungs. I coughed and gasped as he picked me up in a chokehold and pulled me up a set of metal stairs. I lost the one shoe I had left and scraped the back of my legs like cheese through a grater over the rusty steps. The pain kept me conscious, though. I was so frightened of passing out again because I had no idea what Stuart was going to do to me.
“Why the hell did you get that promotion out of the blue? Why didn’t I at least get your old job? You women are always trying to put us, men, down. I’ll never understand you all with all of your emotions and other bullshit. How do you get anything done if you’re crying or complaining about something every five minutes?” He turned and grabbed fistfuls of my shirt under my neck before he began to whine in a mocking high-pitched voice, “Stuart, your hair is too long. Stuart, your clothes aren’t nice enough. Stuart, why couldn’t you be a doctor or a lawyer like your cousins?” His voice became deep and angry as he released my shirt and grabbed my arms, pulling me up the steps again. “Fuck that. And fuck all of you crazy cunts.”
As he mumbled to himself maniacally and hauled me up the stairs, visions of my son’s childhood played in my mind’s eye. I was pushing Todd on the swings at the park when he was three and teaching him to ride a bike at six. Then there were flashes of our first Parent and Prince dance at his school. He was only eight, and he had dressed up in a tuxedo and everything. He was such a sweet young boy.
In a rush, my pleasant memories were ripped from my mind as Stuart reached the top of the stairs and threw me on the garbage-strewn floor. I hit my head again, and I was dazed, but nowhere near as bad as before.
“You think the comments and the gestures that I made at work were lewd and inappropriate. I’ll show you lewd and inappropriate you little slut,” Stuart growled through gritted teeth as he ripped my skirt from the bottom all the way up, exposing my underwear.
“No, please, Stuart. I have a son. He needs his mother. People will be looking for me. You don’t want to t
hrow your life away just to get back at me. Don’t do this. I’m begging you,” I pleaded.
Stuart bent down and slapped me hard across the face. The slap surprised me and stung dreadfully, but the worst part was that it made the pounding in my head that much worse. It felt like a herd of horses were galloping through my brain.
“Shut up. You don’t get to talk. You’ve already done enough talking for one day. You’re flapping whore mouth is what got me fired in the first place, remember?” he asked as he pushed me in my chest hard, forcing me to lay flat on the ground. “I think you need a lesson in shutting that pretty little mouth of yours.” He ripped my underwear from my body and shoved them in my mouth. “You spit those out, and I’m going to shove them down your throat and strangle you with them. Do you hear me, bitch?”
I just nodded my head in understanding as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and tried to think of anything else while I listened to Stuarts grunting and the clanking of his buckle as he undid his belt and unzipped his pants.
I laid there too scared to move, thinking of how I was never going to see my son again. I was never going to send him off to college or console him when he broke up with his first serious girlfriend. I was never going to dance with him at his wedding, and we were never going to go on that summer vacation we’d talked about.
This was it. This was how my life was going to end. In a dirty, abandoned warehouse at the hands of someone I saw nearly every day for the last few years.
Stuart crawled on top of me. I felt his sweaty penis rubbing on my thigh, and it made me want to throw up. One of his hands pinned both of mine above my head. His other was rubbing himself between my thighs when there was a loud cracking noise, and Stuart fell limp on top of me.
I opened my eyes, and Emma’s face filled my teary vision. She dropped the large pipe she had hit him with, and I pulled the underwear from my mouth. I pushed Stuart’s slack body off of me as Emma helped me roll him away. When I was free, she knelt on her knees next to me, pulling me into a tight embrace while we both wept.
