Calah
I felt big and bad when I stood up and walked out but now I feel panic creeping in where it doesn’t belong. When I get into the hall I all but run into my office passing Rhea’s desk on the way. She senses my frustration and stands to follow me to my desk.
“What’s wrong?” Rhea asks in a hurried tone.
“I’m sorry Rhea, I think I’ve made quite a jumble,” my voice cracks and threatens to give in.
“Don’t apologize to me, are you okay?”
“Would you mind terribly if I cried?” I pout.
“Calah, don’t be silly, of course you can cry, what happened?”
Tears start to well in my eyes and I let them fall as I realize just what I’ve done, “I told my parents I’m going to Spain or I’m leaving the company,” I confess.
“Calah? Spain? You’re quitting?” Rhea rattles out questions.
“Yes, yes, no, maybe.”
“Take a few deep breaths and start from the beginning, I’ve never met a problem we can’t figure out together,” Rhea assures me.
I try to listen to Rhea and take a deep breath, after about a minute I’m calm enough to explain myself, “They want to go international. They are meeting with a luxury hotel chain in Spain.”
“Okay.”
“They said they were going to go and stay until the deal is done and I just snapped, I felt like they were going to tell me to just stay here and man the desk.”
“I think that makes sense, I understand why you felt that way.”
“I just told them I should be going to Spain, so naturally my mother shrieked and father was outraged and yelling my middle name at me so I said the first sentence that came to mind.”
“Which was?” she asks like she doesn’t really want to know the answer.
“I’m going to Spain or I’m leaving the company,” I say it superfast like it is all one word.
“What did they say?” she gasps.
“Mother just sighed my name in a tone that made my chest hurt so I told them to let me know by the end of the day then said good day and left.”
“You told your parents good day?” she giggles.
“Yes.”
“And you told them that if they didn’t do what you wanted you would quit?” Rhea’s laughing becomes more and more noticeable.
“Yes.”
“You do realize that you just had your first fit?” she’s grinning.
“A fit?”
Yes, a hissy fit, a you’re ruining my life, everyone else is doing it fit… most of us start having them at fourteen but you staved it off for a while,” she explains.
“A… hissy… fit?” I can’t hold my laughter anymore, even the name is funny, “Rhea my dear! What is a hissy?”
She just laughs louder and we fall into a fit of giggles, it takes a while but we eventually calm down.
“So, you don’t think this is a huge deal?” I ask.
“Um okay,” Rhea taps her thumb on her chin like she’s thinking, “I do think it’s huge that you stood up to them but they aren’t going to let you quit.”
“So what do I do?”
“The way I see it, you have two options; stay in your funk into they give in, don’t back down. If you want to go to Spain then you go.”
“Or?”
“You go in there and apologize with your tail between your legs and let them take the lead.”
“I don’t like that but am I ready to close a huge deal like that? Taking the company international is going to be a huge undertaking,” I nervously bite my lip while I wait for her answer.
“You’ll be great, no one knows Levine Souvenirs better than you. You’re ready and you’ve got me for back up, I’ll help with whatever I can.”
“Wow, wow!” I exclaim, “I’m a spoiled brat!”
“No honey, you’ve worked very hard for everything you have. I think everyone has a fit the first few times they stand up to their parents. It’s scary to pave your own way but you’ve listened to their every request and all you’re asking for now is a chance to prove yourself, go out on your own.”
“Wow, you’re right, prove myself… What have I done?”
“Calah, you’ll be fine. Why don’t you cut out early? Go home, take a bath or something...” she suggests but then her face dawns with realization, “Oh!” she hops over to her desk and comes back with a book, “And read this… I think you’ll find it quite relevant.”
Rhea urges me on with her eyes and I certainly don’t want to risk running into my parents today, “You know what, why not? Thanks for your support,” I say.
“We’re friends, I’m here for you, no thanks needed.”
“Oh dear, how about... thank you for your friendship?”
“You can thank me by going out with me tonight,” she raises an eyebrow.
“What? Like to a bar?” I gape.
“Yes, it’s practice for Spain, nothing too crazy.”
“I know how to drink wine and beer,” I assure her.
“I know but do you know how to hang out at a bar alone? How do you deal with men that want to buy you drinks?”
“Oh, right, I’ll be adventurous in Spain and I will go to a bar,” I laugh and roll my eyes, it’s the most unlikely of scenarios.
"You better."
"Yes and I will dance with a man..." I'm half joking but she is taking this for truth.
"Oooh girl! Read the book, it will give you plenty of ideas."
"I have ideas," I insist.
"Read it. Trust me."
"Yes, okay, text me where to meet you tonight."
"Nope, I’m coming over and helping you get ready. I’ll bring you some clothes."
"Some clothes?" I ask, my throat is tightening; this whole day has gotten completely out of hand.
"Yes. What size shoe do you wear?"
"Um? Seven and a half."
"Perfect," she says and she starts to throw my things into my bag then helps me out the door, forcing her book into my hands.
I just keep my forward momentum and walk straight to my car, once I'm there I'm safe or so I thought. When I get into the lobby my mother pushes through the front door with a tray full of coffee, three of them.
"Calah?"
"Not now mother."
"I brought you a coffee," she says sweetly.
"I said good day!" I storm out of the building and don't look back.
If I had, I would have seen that she got me a mint chocolate chip latte and I may have been wooed to her side. That cannot happen, this hissy fit must go on.
