#hannahmeg

Meg’s boss, Hannah, loved them. She spent the whole day leading up to the long weekend she had gotten corporate to give the office decorating. Her patent leather shoes slipping on step stools, hanging red and green garlands in the break room and a string of lights around her office door. All Meg did through the day was watch, answering the phones with a quick-- “Dunder Milton, this Meg. Let me transfer you.”

She technically was supposed to be putting together a list of all the clients who called in. She didn’t. And now they got to the party-- Hannah announced that it was time for the party with a clap, “The party… Has started. Everyone, come into the break room. There’s drinks and cookies and Kool-Aid and we have Christmas music playing.”

Hannah was beaming, though her lips were pinched together to hold back the smile tugging on them. Meg wanted to roll her eyes, be annoyed at her boss’ holiday cheer. But she couldn’t muster up any hatred for her. It was sweet, really, Meg had just never been the holiday type.

Immediately, she made a beeline to her friend, Ruby, a customer service rep. The brunette had deemed herself the bartender for the night since, in her words, she was the only one there with any experience in bartending. And she was good at making them. Meg just asked for a beer, honestly not wanting to get as drunk as the salesmen, Lilith, seemed intent on getting.

Idly nursing the beer, she moved to a seat by the window. Hannah was sitting in the seat beside Meg, sipping Kool-Aid and holding an M and M cookie in a wrinkled green napkin. An awkward cartoon Frosty the Snowman decorated it and Meg settled for making uncomfortable eye contact with it than try to make conversation with her boss.

Her adorable boss who has apparently attempted at painting trees on her nails. The trees turned out looking a hell of a lot like green turds, but Meg had to give her props for trying and either way it made her smile a little bit.

“I’m not too good with nail polish. As you can tell.” So, Hannah had noticed her staring.

Meg didn’t have enough shame to blush at the comment, just shrugging and looking back up at Hannah, a smirk tugging at the side of her mouth “Wasn’t gonna comment. It’d probably woulda turned out better if you didn’t do it yourself, Hannah.”

Hannah straightened a bit, tugging at the pale blue sleeves of her button up. Something about the air around her at changed. She grew stiff and uncomfortable, like she had back when she had had to demote Hael. So, clearly, something was wrong.

“Well, yes. I suppose they would have.” She stood and walked away, setting her cookie down on the plastic red table cloth on the break room’s table and stomped out.

Meg didn’t know what to feel guilty about, she just knew she felt guilt. She had to have done something wrong, to get a reaction like that from Hannah. Normally, Hannah was professional but she was also warm and welcoming. Not stiff and cold, like what Meg had just seen. Sighing deeply, she stood up, deciding to go to the bathroom and maybe fake sick to go home already.

When she entered the bathroom, she saw Hannah there. She seemed slouched over the sink, back shaking slightly and-- she was crying, Meg realized. Shit. She had made her boss cry, what did she do?

“Shit, Hannah, I’m sorry.” Okay, well she didn’t want to do that. She hadn’t meant to just blurt out that awkward, half-assed apology. She should have… well, she shouldn’t have done that! Maybe comforted her, or walked out like nothing happened, or brought her her cookie!

Hannah sniffed, covering up a whimper with a cough. She didn’t reply, not right away, reaching out to grab a paper towel. The automated dispenser made sure she didn’t grab at empty air as she grabbed it, moving it to blow he nose.

“My sister died. I wasn’t alone until she died.” Her voice was strained, vocal chords tight from the grief she must have been feeling. She threw the paper towel at the trash, barely missing, before her hands returned to the sides of the sink, gripping to hold herself up.

“Shit.” Was that all Meg could say anymore? Could she only curse and regret whatever she had said? Internally, she kept up that string of curses, only directed at herself rather than at the whole situation. Stopping a moment, to get the paper towel in the trash, she walked over so she was next to Hannah.

She didn’t know how to comfort her, how to make any of it better. She wasn’t any good at the emotional stuff, at least not at this phase of grieving. Crappy jokes and pizza? That she could do. Genuine emotions? With most people by now she would be running for the hills. But, hey, Hannah was different.

Awkwardly, she patted her boss on the back. Because what else was she supposed to do? The back under her hand shook a bit, only it was from laughter rather than tears this time. Hannah choked out, “You do not have to stay there. I can tell you’re uncomfortable.”

Meg frowned and finally just said, “Yeah. Yeah I do have to stay here, actually.”

Hannah rolled her eyes at that, seeming not to accept the answer that stemmed from concern. She stood up straight, shaking Meg’s hand from her back. “Why do you feel as though you do? What kind of… loyalty do you have to me other than me being your boss?”

“I-- I don’t exactly know. Jesus, are you always this resistent to people giving a damn about you. Maybe I don’t like knowing you’re upset.” She popped her hands onto her hips, raising an eyebrow at her boss. She knew that maybe right now wasn’t the best time to get hostile, but it was rare for her to show this much emotion, to actually give a damn, so her attempts at compassion being rejected was all kinds of annoying.

Hannah just folded her arms, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She turned around, eyes opening to meet Meg. Quietly, she said, “I do not like being emotional in front of others. I am sorry for how I must have come across but I would like it if you would leave.”

Meg groaned but nodded, “Alright, alright, I get the message. Sorry. I’ll see you later, boss.”

She turned around and walked back out. Well, faking sick wouldn’t work today, or at least not right now. She was a bit too worried about her tight-ass boss to be able to just leave which was… odd. Honestly, there was no reason she should care.

Yeah, she needed more cookies. Maybe some Kool-aid. Food was always a good comfort, especially at shitty holiday parties that seem to only be able to play Michael Buble’s cover of Santa Baby-- or Santa Buddy, as he called. Biggest ‘no homo’ she had ever heard musically and it was annoying.

Two M and M cookies later, she had moved to sit at her desk. Now, she decided, was a good time to finally do that call sheet she was supposed to have been doing throughout the day.

It was about a quarter to four and she was about half way through the day’s callers that had caller ID-- including the unfortunately named executive, Lucifer-- when Hannah walked over to the desk. She cleared her throat, a bit uncomfortable, and said, “I would like to invite you to dinner, as a way of apologizing.”

Meg looked up, moving to tuck the phone between her shoulder and chin. Scribbling down the client’s name-- Gadreel Ezekiel-- she raised an eyebrow at her boss. “Really? Isn’t it unprofessional or something for the boss to go on a date with an employee?”

A flush scattered over Hannah’s cheekbones and, clearing her throat, she said, “If it becomes serious and we don’t talk to an HR rep, yes. But that hinges on your answer, here.”

Hanging up midway through some spam caller from Winchester Cars, Meg flashed a smile, “Well, if you’re paying, I can’t say no. But, and no offense intended, please tell me where we’re going won’t play Christmas music.”