adorned flames || the housekeeper series. (3)

Chapter Five

"Um... there's more."

"More? Like what?" She fidgets around with the stacks of folders she's holding.

"Remember the uh...meeting you were supposed to have yesterday? Before you.. left?"

"Yes, I told you to reschedule. What about it?"

"Well, you see... The thing is... I couldn't really-" She timidly stammers.

"What, Sandy?! Just spit it out!" And then it hits me.

Oh my God. I missed a meeting! She didn't reschedule and I missed it!

"Son of a..." I turn the corner into Don's office where he's pacing back and forth, gripping onto the ends of his hair.

I'm fucked.

I'm dead meat.

Jesus, take the wheel.

"Don...?" He shoots a look at me that says:

'I'm about to whoop yo ass.'

I walk in and sit, ready to be yelled at, like a teenage girl and her angry mother.

"Aliyah Johnson. In these four years and some months that you've worked for me, never would I EVER have thought you would disappoint me like this. From the first interview, to the training, to where you are now, working with real artists. Making real music! But that little stunt you pulled yesterday is unacceptable. Telling your intern to just 'reschedule' a crucial conference with Bailey Dain and her managers to go have playtime?! Are you kidding me?!" So that's who I walked past!

"That was Bailey?!" We've been trying to get her to sign with us for months. The girl can really sing her heart out.

"Doesn't matter now. She's not signing with us. We're too 'inefficient' for her. And guess who's fault that is?" He's still pacing.

"Well, I don't really like to point fingers..." I trail.

"IT'S YOURS." Don shouts suddenly, startling me. He sighs, and sits down in his desk chair.

"She was the last artist we needed to become the highest-selling label in the country. We were so close, and you blew it." I don't want to say sorry, because I already know he's not gonna take it. But I have no other option at this point.

"I'm sor-"

"You sure are, because you're fired." Don announces. I hear Sandy gasp behind me, but I'm unmoved. He's not firing me. That's impossible. It's actually quite humorous.

"Pfft, funny. But seriously, I'll give her a call later and we'll settle this, alright?" I chuckle, getting up from my seat.

"You're not settling anything, Aliyah. You no longer work for Capitol. Go home." He states blankly, not borthering to look at me as he speaks.

"Excuse me?!" I scoff, letting my temper get the best of me. "You can't fire me!"

"And why is that?"

I ram my brain for a reason that would make sense, but all I can say is, "Because!"

"Wow, you're right. What a legitimate reason to keep you here." Asshole.

"Your passive-aggressive attitude isn't cute, Don." I pout, crossing my arms.

"Neither is your lack of responsibility." Damn.

"Come on! I'm sorry! I made a mistake, can't I make it up to you?!" I plead. Working here is probably the best thing that's happened to me, what the hell am I going to do?

"I don't think so. You have two hours to pack up your office and turn in your I.D." And he returns to his paperwork, as if he didn't just fire the best damn employee in this place. I leave his office and return to my car to tell Kaylan the news.

When I open the door she immediately drops her phone, scared from the sudden noise. I can tell by the look on her face she was talking to Chresanto. I roll my eyes and get in the driver's seat.

"Is everything okay?" she asks, picking up her phone.

"Not really, i just got fired. " I stare blankly in front of me, not knowing which emotion to feel anymore. In less than two hours, I was reconnected with a part of my life I thought I'd moved on from and shut out from a part that was just beginning.

"Oh my God, why? What happened?!" I appreciate her concern, don't get me wrong. But I feel like if I start talking I'll end up in tears.

"I don't really want to talk about it right now... I have to go in and pack up my office, so here." I hand her my keys. Kaylan came here for a good time, I don't want to kill her mood with my sob story. "Go shopping or something, I'll call you when I'm finished."

"Are you kidding? Okay yeah, you got fired. So what? There's plenty of other record labels that would want you on their team, fact. WE'RE going in there to pack your shit, and have a bomb-ass rest of our day. Fuck Don Deveux." We both laugh and she embraces me in an uncomfortable hug since we're still in the car. Kaylan always knew the exact right thing to say, I'm so grateful for her.