“Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Do you mind if I keep this? Even better, could you send me a copy?” Star said, her shoulders straightening. Jackson had started a war she wasn’t about to let him win. He’d bad-mouthed her friend and their boss in his vendetta against her and that was not okay. Star would have laughed if it weren’t so serious. In his bitterness, Jackson didn’t realise the damage he’d done to himself in the process.
“Of course. Let me know if there is anything I can do,” Sandra said before scurrying back to her desk.
Several other voices from the team joined Sandra’s, making Star feel confident in what she was about to do.
On receiving the email from Sandra, Star forwarded it straight to HR, copying in Damian, along with every piece of evidence she had collected over the months. She had an electronic trail documenting incomplete and substandard work, alongside a few complaints from other team members. If Jackson wanted to fight dirty, then so could she.
∞∞∞
Jackson didn’t return to his desk for the rest of the day. Star and the team carried on as normal, although she felt eyes watching her from every corner. Good news always travels fast; gossip even faster. Ignoring the elephant in the room, Star threw herself into preparing for the client meeting. The Account Manager had come back to say that the client was ready whenever they were, and would be happy to meet with the team early next week. Star updated the team and kept herself busy, booking the meeting room and organising for the catering company to supply lunch. By the end of the day, she’d heard nothing from HR and Jackson was still a no-show.
By the end of the day, Star’s nerves were frayed, and she had a headache forming behind her eyes. She knew the information she had sent covered her on most aspects, but she was afraid of the mud Jackson would sling and the damage he would do to her reputation.
Laura had a staff meeting after school, so Star headed off to pick up Skylar from after-school club. She grabbed some fresh produce from the supermarket on her way home. Star needed a distraction and was determined not to let the day’s events cloud her evening with Skylar. As with baking, Skylar loved helping in the kitchen, so with the Tudor House now complete, this would be their evening together. Star also owed Toby and Laura a home-cooked meal as a thank you for all the help and support they’d given her this week.
Skylar had been working on alliterations in class so named all the vegetables before telling stories based on each character. By the time Laura came home, both Star and Skylar were in fits of giggles and the kitchen looked like a bomb site.
“Wow, it looks like you two have had fun!” Laura said, walking into the kitchen, “Whatever is cooking smells delicious.”
A grinning Skylar pointed to the oven and announced how they had made a vegetable bake with Colin Carrot, Percy Pepper, and Oli Onion, as well as a roux sauce with Chelsea Cheese and Margo Milk, before falling into peals of laughter again.
“Well, I’m sorry I missed it,” Laura said, laughing, the infectious giggles of Skylar becoming more than she could withstand.
“Mummy was sad when she picked me up, so I cheered her up,” came the innocent reply.
Startled at Skylar’s words, Star went over and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “Thank you, angel, it worked.” Sometimes, she forgot how perceptive Skylar was.
Laura raised a questioning eyebrow but said nothing.
“Hey, Skylar, want to read to me while Mummy cleans up this mess? I’m most definitely not on cleaning duty this evening!” Laura said.
“Dinner will be ready in half an hour. Get washed and grab your book,” Star called after her daughter, who had made a dash for the door. “And make sure Aunty Laura puts her feet up while you read her a lovely story.”
They could hear the water going as Skylar washed her hands, so Star turned to Laura.
“More issues with Damian?” Laura asked, her concern obvious.
“No, not Damian. I’ll fill you in later when Skylar is in bed. It was Jackson today.”
Star gestured to the mess just as Skylar burst back into the room. “I’d better clean up this mess before Uncle Toby walks in and has a nervous breakdown,” she said indicating the large notice that was still attached to the wall in the kitchen from their student days.
Rule number 1 was “NO Mess to be left on any kitchen sides”. The notice had been purchased by Laura and Star when they first moved into the house. Toby had bought the house with part of his enormous trust fund and had rented out all six of its bedrooms to fellow students. After one week of living with six, Laura and Star had reached the end of their tether when they’d come home late after a study session and there hadn’t been one clean pan or plate in the house. Even the microwave had needed a health warning. The girls had taken it on themselves to organise the four boys, including Toby, to clean the kitchen after every use. It had taken six months, but eight years on, the kitchen rules remained, even though there were now only the four of them living in the house.
Star cleaned while Laura and Skylar read. Toby turned up halfway through and they all sat down for dinner together. Skylar regaled them with her Great Fire of London project, Toby updated everyone on office gossip, and Laura told Skylar about the classroom project that she’d probably be doing next year. Star brushed over her day, admitting it had been long. She did pass on the good news that the Account Manager had signed off on her project and it was full-steam ahead.
By the time Skylar was tucked in bed, Star was exhausted, the day finally catching up with her. Walking into the living room, Laura and Toby were waiting for her. She recounted the day’s events, saying, “I just wish I knew what his problem was – it seems more than jealousy.”
∞∞∞
After a fitful night, Star managed to deliver Skylar and her Tudor House to her classroom. The playground had been packed with parents dropping off their children, so, to protect the house, Star had taken it directly to Skylar’s classroom and passed it over to her teacher. The teacher was as excited as Skylar, their heads close together as they studied and discussed the cardboard building. Star was sure her teacher had preparation to do before school started, but the time and effort she gave her daughter warmed her heart, even more so when her teacher said she was happy for Skylar to stay with her to help her set up.
Star made it to the train station in plenty of time. As the train drew closer to London, a sick feeling began deep in the pit of her stomach, and by the time it arrived she wished she’d skipped breakfast. Leaving the station, her phone pinged with a voice mail from the office.
The message was from one of the HR team asking if she could come and see them as soon as she arrived at the office. Her heart thundered in her chest as she made the short walk from the station to the office.
HR was in the basement of the building. Star supposed it was for times like this – fewer prying eyes watching your every move. By the time the lift opened, Star felt like she was carrying a boulder on her chest. A smiling member of HR greeted her as she arrived and directed her into one of their nearby offices, offering her a tea or coffee. Star declined, the simple thought threatening to evacuate her breakfast.
“Sorry to keep you, Star,” Gerry, the head of HR, said as he entered the office. His smile did nothing to calm Star’s racing heart. She took a deep breath and tried to return his smile, but she was sure it looked more like a grimace.