Mr. Underhill looked at Damita sternly. “Make sure it doesn’t. You’ve got a lot riding on this. Hell, this company has got a lot riding on this.”
“I know.”
As soon as Mr. Underhill left, Damita stopped by Wendy’s office.
“Do you mind if I come in?” she asked.
“Since when did you start asking to come in? Are you upset with me because I took the conference call this morning? You know you can trust me, right? The vultures were circling and I didn’t want them to take advantage of your absence.”
Damita’s tone softened. “Thanks, Wendy. I know that’s what you were doing. I’ve been under so much pressure lately. I’m not thinking clearly.”
“No worries. If you weren’t so thorough, I wouldn’t have been able to step in so easily. It’s your hard work that’s going to make this deal happen. I know it and Underhill knows it. But, there’s something more important we need to discuss. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries, when I first noticed. But, I have to say something today. Damita, what happened to your face? I don’t mean the story you told Underhill and everybody else. What really happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“Damita, if you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay, but don’t bullshit me.”
“Okay. I’m not really ready to talk about it yet, but I promise I will. Well, it’s time to get back to work, huh?”
“Yeah, back to work. Are you burning the midnight oil again tonight?” Wendy asked.
“No. I’m going to skip lunch today and work straight through and go home and get some rest tonight. By the time I leave here, I’ll probably need a drink, though. Do you want to come with?”
“I absolutely do!”
After multiple calls from Neal, Damita finally instructed the receptionist to inform him that she had left for the day.
“We still on for a drink?” Wendy asked, at the end of the day.
“We sure are. Should we go to our usual place?”
“Sure, why not. Good ole Fitzpatrick’s; our home away from home.”
Their favorite bar was more crowded than usual, so instead of a table, Damita and Wendy sat at the bar.
“Your boy Kevin was hot when I took over your conference call this morning,” Wendy said.
“Are you serious? You have got to be kidding me.”
“He actually tried to pull rank on me until Underhill stepped in.”
“That boy has been trying to take over my clients since I got there,” Damita said.
“He’s pathetic. I used to feel sorry for his socially awkward ass but after the way he performed today, all bets are off.”
They both laughed.
The bartender set a drink down in front of Damita.
“Oh no, this is going to be it for me,” she said.
“The gentleman sent this,” the bartender said, motioning to the end of the bar.
Damita wanted to at least say thank you, but she couldn’t figure out who the bartender was talking about. There was no one there. Within minutes, she knew exactly where the drink came from.
“Hello, Damita.”
She turned to find Neal standing behind her.
“Neal, I don’t want to talk here. This is not the place.”
“I agree with you. We should go home.”
“I’m not coming home with you.”
He started grabbing Damita’s arm roughly.
Damita looked at Neal defiantly and tried to wrestle her arm from his grasp. “Let go!” she yelled.
“Are you okay?” the bartender asked.
“Yes, I’m okay. I’m fine.”
Damita could see the bartender motioning to the bouncer anyway.
“Damita, why don’t we get out of here? I can give you a lift,” Wendy said.
“She doesn’t need a lift,” Neal stated sarcastically.
Wendy glared at him. “Neal, I don’t think she wants to talk to you right now. Maybe you should wait for another time.”
“Oh you think so, huh? Can I ask you a question?”
Wendy looked at Neal fearlessly. “Shoot!”
“Why do you think this is any of your fucking business?”
“Neal, come on, don’t talk to her like that,” Damita said.
“Let’s go home now!”
“Neal, I’m not going home with you, so you might as well leave.”
As he was about to grab Damita again, the bouncer showed up. “Is everything okay over here?”
Neal’s face changed from raging mad to a nervous smle. “Everything is fine. My wife and I are having a discussion.”
“It looks to me like she’s not interested in having a discussion with you right now, so why don’t you save it for later.”