The Disastrous Love Lives of the Delaney Family

2.9 Elizabeth Tilberis

My termination with Vogue is now public knowledge. Given the text message from one of my university friends- and later confirmed by JoJo Valentine- it seems that one of Lavinia's closest friends gloated about the news on Shutt'r. Naturally, this has sent a shockwave through London society; it's not every day that the daughter of a Duke is sacked from one of the most prestigious publications in the country and it was bound to become gossip fodder for many. I suppose that's why when I woke up this morning, there were countless missed calls, unread text messages and direct messages from acquaintances, new and old.

They were all of the same ilk. 

1. Is it true that I've been fired?

2. Who can they contact in HR to backfill my position?

3. Can I still bag them an invitation to tomorrow's party?

I deleted every single answerphone message, text and DM without listening, reading or responding to them. I suppose this is one of those rare advantages to situations like this: you tend to learn exactly who your friends are. My real friends are those who came over last night to console me but ended up celebrating my new job. JoJo had been one of them, not that I was particularly surprised. We've shared an office and a mutual dislike for Lavinia since we've known each other, and when JoJo heard about my position at Tidda, the first comment out of her mouth wasn't 'congratulations' but rather 'can I come with you?'

I'd laughed her comment off but did make a mental note to ask Martha about the prospect of me appointing JoJo to a role at Tidda when we meet later this afternoon as Tidda's HQ. JoJo has some brilliant qualities but seeing as how she's been underestimated and underutilized at Vogue has drilled it home that she needs to spread her wings, and since part of Tidda's brand is female empowerment, it'll only feel right to bring her on board. 

Given that I don't have a job to rush to this morning- Martha's given me a week's grace before I 'officially' join- I'm pottering around the house, trying to decide what it is I'm going to do with my day. My appointment with Martha isn't until the early afternoon and seeing as how my body clock is used to six am wake up calls, I've been awake for what seems like an eternity already. 

The first task I've completed is undoing the kitchen rearrangement that Joseph and Spencer sprang on us last week. While I understand that they both think the location of the pots and pans, the appliances, and the crockery is confusing (to them, at least), it's what Sera and I are used to, and ever since they moved things, it's become an embuggerance to find anything. I keep opening the top cupboard, expecting to find my mugs, only to be confronted by tins of soup. Why would you think to put soup in the cupboard above the kettle? Soup and other pantry essentials belong either in the pantry or in one of the lower cupboards.

After the kitchen overhaul, I rearranged the bookshelves, swapped out some artwork, replaced the statuettes for a simpler decorative vase, and re-framed some family photos, finally allowing one of my maternal grandparents with all their grandchildren to take pride of place on the mantel.