Our eyes met.
“Where is… Holly?” I asked as I stopped a few feet inside his office.
“Oh, I sent her home early for the day,” he said, with a casual wave of his hand. “We’ve all got a big week coming up. And anyway, she doesn’t need to be here for what we have to discuss.”
Just then, Gabe took notice of my heavy load for the first time. “What gives?”
“Oh,” I stammered, not sure of exactly how I should answer the question. “It’s just some things from my desk in the lab.”
“I see.”
He wrinkled his brow in confusion for a moment as he looked at me. Otherwise, his behavior seemed casual as always. Frankly, for someone who caught me masturbating, he certainly seemed unfazed. A few seconds later, he nodded in the direction of a large couch in his office.
“I’m going to have to ask you to remove your lab coat, Fiona.”
My stomach clenched. Okay, here we go. I was sure my dismissal was at hand now. I nodded and with shoulders slumped, I made my way towards it. I placed my armload down in a chair adjacent to the couch and a few seconds later, removed my lab coat. I swallowed hard. Gabe didn’t strike me as a cruel man. I hope I'd judged him correctly. I just wanted this to be over as soon as possible.
“Where would you like it?”
As I finished speaking, Gabe turned around and leaned against his desk in a half-seated position. He frowned at me as he considered the question.
“Doesn’t matter,” he began. Lifting his chin, he gestured towards an arm on the sofa. “There’s fine.”
“Okay.”
Clutching my coat in my hand, I walked to the couch and draped it over the leather. I smoothed it with a final stroke before turning to face him once again. As I did, I swung my hands in front of my body, interlocking them just above my waist. Reaching down for my bracelet, I covered it with my hand and squeezed tight.
Gabe only looked at me in silence for a moment. I supposed he was used to this sort of thing… firing people. But of course, I wasn’t. My knees literally flexed and bowed as they threatened to give way beneath me. The moments dripped by in syrupy agony.
“Let’s talk, Fiona,” he said at last, as he gestured with a come hither motion.
I shuffled across the room. My steps felt as if I moved through quick drying cement.
Once I’d drawn to within about a foot of him, Gabe began to speak. “We need to talk about the situation here. With your position. You know that don’t you?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Okay, good. This really isn’t something we need to be discussing in front of the rest of the team. You and I can handle it. All right?”
My mouth went dry. The slight wobble I’d experienced moments before threatened to transform into a complete collapse. This was really happening. Oh no, what was I going to do? What would I tell my grandmother? Nausea crept to the back of my throat, lacing my mouth with a sour taste.
Yet in spite of my internal distress, Gabe’s demeanor remained calm, unhurried. He held my gaze for a moment, confirming I’d heard his question a moment earlier. “Good. Okay then, we’ll get to that in a minute. But first, there’s something else we need to talk about, Fiona.”
I nodded, even though I was uncertain of what could be more important than my termination.
“I need to know exactly how committed you are to the company,” he began. Gabe flattened his hands against the edge of his desk, straightening himself into a standing position. “Are you willing to do whatever it takes to help Hawkins Biotech grow and succeed?”
Although I tried to mask it, I felt my face wrinkle with confusion. Why would Gabe ask me something like that when he just had me turn in my lab coat? Not to mention what happened in the lab with the video camera. Instead of responding, I stared at him as I tried to process his line of questioning.
“Fiona,” he said, snapping his fingers. “Hey. What the hell’s the matter with you?”
“Hmm?” I replied as muddled through my thoughts. “What?”
Gabe crossed his arms at his chest. “You aren’t gonna pass out again are you? The infirmary is closed for the day.”
“What? No. I just… I’m confused. What do you mean? Whatever it takes?”
He nodded. “Yeah. It’s a simple question. Are you willing to give everything to me? All you have? Yes or no? Everything about your future depends on the way you answer the question, Fiona.”
“Gabe, I… I don’t know what you’re talking about. Didn't you call me here to…?”
“Never get a straight answer from you do I?” Gabe said, cutting me off. “Hell, half the time I can’t tell whether you want to be working here or not.”