Emily Goes Home - Ginger Comes Out Ch. 11
By A Vixen LiterallyΒ©
*** May***
Tuesday, May 1st β I was back at work after taking a personal day. Monday wasn't a particularly fun. Despite the delight of my honey being home and the pleasure of our night, Reenie was a wreck. Her arm hurt, she was still wracked with guilt, and terribly conflicted about her future. She did call the doctor's office β that visit would be early tomorrow morning. It was
supposed
to be date night but we settled on going out for dinner. We went for a walk after we got home, just to get out of the house. It was a very uneven day emotionally. I was most unhappy about going to work and leaving her alone.
I haven't been management for very long so I didn't quite know who to talk to. I started with George. He paled when I told him about Reenie. When I finished he asked, "Why on earth are you here, Ginger? You should be home caring for your girlfriend." I told him I'd taken a personal day yesterday. He shook his head and said, "No, you need to go home."
"George, thank you." I made a scrunchy face and said, "Yes of course I want to be with her but my teams need me." He exploded out of his chair and paced back and forth behind his desk.
He turned, faced me and said, "Ginger, I admire your dedication but this is silly. If your teams need you, you haven't done a very good job of leading." I blanched. He smiled and said, "Sorry if that came off a bit harsh, especially given the circumstances. You haven't been in that chair long enough to know this." He sat down again and said, "Create a culture that empowers your people to grow without you looking over their shoulder. That may have been the most important thing I learned in my time with all of you." He smiled, adding, "It's part of why you're in the chair you're in. You were an easy choice β the cream always rises. Who are your captains on this project?" My god; I had to stop and think for a moment. He shook his head and said, "Go home! Your mind isn't here β that it's taken so long to remember says it all."
Please don't be upset with me. When George said what he did I cracked, put my face in my hands and sobbed. I had tried to keep up appearances but I'm human. I
didn't
want to be there; I was out of a sense of ... it doesn't matter. Jodi looked at me after I got off the elevator and followed me to my office. I told her what happened. God love her, she closed the door and held me as I cried. She kissed me and said, "Go home Ginger. We'll be fine; you take care of Reenie."
In the car, on the way home, I had a thought. I found a place to pull over, scrolled through my phone and dialed. Candy's voice told me she'd been sleeping. I didn't know where she'd been last night but some things are more important.
"I'm sorry to wake you but I need help."
Her voice changed instantly as she said, "What's the matter Ginger? Is Reenie okay?"
I thought about how to answer. "Yes and no. She's struggling with guilt and her arm still hurts. I have to work, though I'm on my way back home. Can the two of you take turns coming to the house during the day to spend time with her? I think it's best right now if she's not alone."
It didn't take a second for her to respond. "No way; you two come back to the crash pad and stay here. It's familiar surroundings, it's a shorter trip to and from your work, and we can take care of her and keep her company while you're there. Didn't you say the house has yet to be completely furnished?" Hard to argue with anything she said. I sighed.
"Okay, I'll pack some clothes and we'll see you ... I don't know, in an hour or so."
"Fabulous. Wake up Georgia. Ginger and Mo are coming soon. We need to get up and clean up." Georgia mumbled something in the background. "We'll see you soon. Thanks for calling Ginger."
Reenie was surprised to see me, but she brightened up when I told her that I'd called Candy and what she'd suggested. We put some of our things in a suitcase. I had to pack work clothes as well as casual stuff.
Once we were in the car and on the way I asked, "Do you want to stop for lunch or wait till we get to the crash pad and see what the girls are doing?"
"How about I call? If they're hungry we can stop and bring them something." That's my girl! We sat at the kitchen table eating sandwiches, chips and gabbing. Reenie seemed to perk up being around the girls. It was a little disheartening that she did, but in the end I just want her to get well. If being in familiar surroundings with the girls helped, so be it!
After lunch we all relaxed, Reenie sitting across my lap with my arm around her, Georgia (her head on Candy's lap) and Candy on the couch. I asked, "How did you two meet? I know some of the story and how Reenie came into the picture, but I don't think I know how it all got started." I looked at Reenie for confirmation; she kissed me ... which I hate.
Candy and Georgia looked at each other. Georgia's lengthy response was a shrug. Candy rolled her eyes and said, "It sounds really funny to say but we met at a bank one day." I laughed. That
did
sound ridiculous but I admit I was curious. "It was the first of the month and I was cashing an unemployment check, being between jobs. There was this gorgeous brunette all bundled up for the cold. It was December."
"November, ya goof."
"Was not!"
"Was so!"
Reenie laughed. "They'd break up about every other day in the beginning over shit like this." They both turned and gave her the finger. We cracked up! Reenie said, "Anyway ..."
Georgia smirked and said, "Anyway, I was paying no attention. I was pissed off the lines were so long and so slow. I finally made the deposit my boss had sent me to do. I was putting the receipt in my purse when I bumped into her." She jerked her thumb at Candy. "After we were both done apologizing I looked at her." She smiled and looked up at Candy. "We went out for coffee."
Candy picked it up from there, "She told me she was a dancer. I was shocked." Candy rolled her eyes. "I was from this little town in Indiana. I'd never seen a dancer before this one came along!"
"What were you doing that you got laid off?" I asked.
"Really exciting; selling women's clothes at a department store. It got bought out, the store closed and I was laid off. She shrugged. "She invited me to come watch her dance that night."
"She did?"
"Uh huh, and I had nothing better to do so I said okay." She stroked Georgia's neck and said, "The place was a dump but it was full. There had to be four or five girls working. They got drinks for the customers when they weren't dancing. I couldn't believe she made so much money! I started the following week."
"That's hysterical and I totally believe it. When did you two become an item?" Reenie laughed.