Thing 19: Write a scene in which a woman is fired after only one week on the job. Just a week earlier, the same person who is now firing her was very persuasive in convincing her to take the job.

Originally posted to Facebook on June 17th, 2013. I thought this was a pretty interesting concept, and I had to think a bit about how I was going to approach it. In the end I'm happy with what I came up with.

Thing 19: Write a scene in which a woman is fired after only one week on the job. Just a week earlier, the same person who is now firing her was very persuasive in convincing her to take the job.

A soft knock on his doorframe brought mark back to reality. He looked up to see a woman looking expectantly inside.

"You wanted to see me, Mark?"

His brow creased as he motioned for her to come in. "Close the door behind you, please."

The soft click of the door settling into place had a regrettable finality to it. Mark closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose while Anne settled herself in front of his desk.

A thick silence settled on the room. It hung thick in the air, threatening to suffocate the silent manager and increasingly-nervous employee. Anne moved her mouth as if to break it a few times, but thought better of it and stopped herself. After what seemed an eternity, Mark's voice pierced the air, thought he spoke in almost a whisper.

"I have to let you go, Anne."

The quiet statement hit Anne all at once, forcing the breath from her lungs in a shocked gasp. Her eyes remained wide as she struggled to draw breath and recover from her surprise.

Her reply came out in as a whisper: "But why?"

"Eric--"

"ERIC!?" Anne's chair clettered to the floor behind her as she shot indignantly to her feet. "That asshole tried to grope me! He--"

"I know." The interruption caught Anne off guard, her words catching in her throat. Mark opened his eyes as he continued, showing a glimpse of the sadness hiding within them. "Please sit down."

Anne let her hands drop to her side, unsure of how to proceed. After a moment of fidgeting, she bent to retrieve the chair she knocked over. When it was upright, she sank quietly into it. Mark waited patiently for her to finish before he continued.

"This is not something I'm pleased about by any stretch of the imagination. Eric's a dick, but unfortunately he's a dick who has the authority to make our lives miserable. Since you're still in you probation period, you can be fired without just cause, and he has forced my hand to do just that."

Anne's shock contorted back into rage. "And so what, you're saying I should just let him harrass me so that I can keep my job?"

Mark sighed, feeling the chill of exhaustion through his entire body. The stress of dealing with this situation had not been kind. He set his tired eyes firmly on those of the woman before him. "I'm not saying that at all. In fact I'd think much less of you if that was your decision.

"The truth is, you're an amazing addition to the team here, which is why I was so adamant that you come to work here, but you don't deserve this. You're better off at a place where they would appreciate your skill without pretense. As long as Eric is in charge you won't be happy here, and you know it."

The anger gone from Anne's face, worry creased her brow. "Mark, I need this job. Happy or not, I took this opportunity because you convinced me to, and I don't have any other options because of it."

"I know, and it sucks."

An awkward silence fell over the pair once again, neither able to form a thought with enough precision to put it to words. Mark was the first to speak.

"Look, I'm not going to hang you to dry. Despite the fact that you've only been here for a week, I'm giving you a full severance package, including 3 months' wages and my personal recommendation for any position you apply to in the future. You're an excellent employee, and I'll be damned if I let this experience put a black mark on your record."

Tears welled up in Anne's eyes as she slowly stood. Mark rose with her, though he was unsure of what to expect as she walked around his desk. He recoiled and closed his eyes as he saw her rush toward him, only to freeze, stunned when her arms wraped around him in a tight embrace.

Another whisper slid past Anne's lips. "Thank you."