Echo

5. Boy

I spend the evening sitting in my room, feeling bad.

"What happened, baby?" Momma rubs my shoulders.

"They laughed at me."

"Why? Who?"

"They were in a meeting. A bunch of men. Malax was there. They asked me how I would solve a problem. They were stuck with it."

Daddy leans on the door. "What problem, sweetheart?"

"They are having problems hiring people to pilot their suppra's. I told them to make classes of some kind to teach it. Then, once people get a certificate, they could be hired. It makes it seem better than opening doors for a living."

"That's a good idea."

"They laughed. The secretary kept laughing and saying how fun the next 3 months are going to be. Can I find something else?"

"I'll check around for something else. I don't want you getting laughed at or feeling like this. That's not right."

Momma nods. "It's not right. You're 17 and it's your first job. Why are you even being asked about these things? I thought it was a secretary position?"

"Me too, Jayda. I'll find something else. I still want her to have some work experience."

"Thank you, daddy."

"You keep your head up, sweetheart. It is a good idea. Maybe they didn't want to pay for a training building or something dumb. There was no way you could have known that. I'm not even calling that asshole. They can beg me to come back."

Momma stands up. "No discounts."

"Not 1." They leave with their arms around each other.

The next day, daddy is in his office calling anyone he can think of to find me a job.

I sit at the table with momma. "Why can't I work with daddy?"

"It wouldn't be like a real work experience if he was with you. It'll look better on applications if his name isn't on them. Are you ok?"

"I always wanted to work at Phade. I feel like I never will now. I don't know what to do."

"The plan didn't change. You go to school. Who knows, in 5 years, maybe they'll be gone and replaced with people who understand how to respect a person's ideas."

Someone knocks on the door.

"They'll probably remember me and my dumb idea forever. They'll still be laughing at me in 5 years."

Daddy comes in. "Malax is in my house."

"Why?" Momma spins around and stares at them.

"He wants to talk to my daughter."

"Sorry, ma'am. I don't mean to interrupt. I was concerned when Echo didn't come in."

Momma tilts her head. "Do you always make house calls when someone quits?"

He looks at me. "You're quitting?"

"Nobody will laugh at my daughter. She is already smarter than you." Momma crosses her arms.

"Who laughed at you?"

"YOU ALL DID." I run to my room crying.

"WHY ARE YOU MAKING MY SISTER CRY?"

"NO."

"LEAVE ME ALONE." I slam the door. Then I face plant my bed and cry on it.

Momma comes in 10 minutes later, she rubs my back. "You need to talk to him, baby. It was a misunderstanding."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yes. It was. Go talk to him before Sanya attacks again." I laugh and she stands up. "He's in the sitting room. Come on. Give him 5 minutes. He came over here."

I clean my face. Then I stand in the doorway and cross my arms.

"Nobody was laughing at you."

"You all did."

"No we didn't. We've been trying to sort out this problem for months. We've been recruiting and trying to hire people everywhere. We were laughing because that idea was easy for you. And it's genius. You thought of it fast, and we have been stuck for months."

"You're saying that because you saw my last name."

"No, I'm not. We made the plan yesterday after you left. It was implemented this morning. People are already applying for the 6 month suppra training course. After 6 months, if they pass, we will hire them."

Daddy laughs from the other door. "You could make them pay for that training program."

"We really need to fill the seats. So, we are offering it free for the first time." They laugh. "Normally, the first year for entry-level workers is $15 an hour. Then it goes to $20. But since they're doing the missions in the training program and not getting paid. They'll be starting at $20 when they finish the program. It actually saves us a ton of money and the missions are still going to get done."

Daddy nods. "Maybe I should have her work with me."

I smile. "I like it. And it's $20 an hour. It's not entry level work anymore."

"You surely have a unique way of seeing that, sweetheart."

I run and hug him. "Thank you, daddy."

"You finish your talk. I think I might go to work."

"Have fun with that."

I sit on the couch. "What else?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "Why didn't you come in with your dad yesterday?"

"I did. But the men in the elevator didn't see me. They took him into your office. I was confused. Then Kai showed me around. It was fun. She's nice."

"I'm sorry they didn't see you."

"It's ok. I'm used to it. My dad kind of makes everyone else disappear. I don't even know if the doorman noticed he let me in the building. He nearly fell over trying to open the security door for my dad. I walked in when he did."

He chuckles. "I'm going to watch the footage of that now. See if anyone else got in."

"I doubt it. If anyone gets too close to me, my dad will throw them out the window. Why are you here? This doesn't seem right."

"It's probably not. Kai said you were upset yesterday after the meeting. Then you didn't come in today. I wanted to make sure you were alright and figure out what happened. I didn't know you thought we were laughing at you. We're not going to do that. You come to me if you feel like that again. I'll sort it out. I don't want you feeling like you're being made fun of or anything else. You need to feel safe at work."

I run and give him a hug. "Thank you."

"BOY."

Malax freezes.

"I was saying thank you, daddy. STOP EMBARRASSING ME."

"JAYDA."

"WHAT?"

"THERE IS A BOY."

"BRAXTIN, I LOVE YOU, BUT GO TO WORK."

"I'M NOT GOING TO WORK WITHOUT HIM. GET YOUR SHIT."

I smile at Malax. "Guess you're going to work with my daddy now."

"I'll go to my own work, sir. I'll see you tomorrow, Echo?"

"Yea. I'll come back."

Daddy glares at him and his eye twitches. Then he leaves with Malax. "House calls cause someone quits. What kind of business you running over there?"

Momma comes in. "I checked and he's telling the truth. They are accepting applications for the suppra training program. I wanted to make sure he wasn't lying because of your last name too. The site has been up since early morning. You won't have even been late yet. His story checks out."

I smile. "They really did like my idea."

"It was a good idea, baby. I'm glad you got that sorted out."

I get to work on time the next day. I sit at my desk and smile. I take Malax his afternoon coffee, and he smiles at me.

A man rolls his eyes. "At least we're back to normal."

"Did you guys need anything?"

"No, but do you know about the company party this weekend?"

"No."

"KAI, DO YOU HAVE THE PARTY STUFF OUT THERE?"

She comes in and hands me a paper.

It's in 3 days and I need a date. "Do I have to go?"

"It can be excused if you have other plans. I know it's last minute for you. Everyone else has known for 2 months."

"Yea, I can't go."

"What are your plans?" Malax watches me.

"I don't think you're allowed to ask me that."

"She has a point. You have no play here, Malax."

"We like everyone being together." He puts an eyebrow up at me.

"UGH. Can I bring my friend?"

Colwort tilts his head. "You can't find a date?"

"YOU CAN'T ASK ME THAT EITHER."

Kai runs in. "Sweetie, what's wrong? You can't ask her about her personal life, Alder. You know better. Furthermore, she is 17. Think of your next words very carefully."

Malax nods. "Yes, you can bring a friend. It's no problem."

Kai fixes my shirt. "Malax, you will have teenagers running loose at the company party. You need to understand that."

He laughs. "I'll put a guard on the alcohol."

I shake my head. "You don't have to do that."

They crack up laughing.

"That was a little too convincing, sweetie."

"Sorry. I'll be good. I promise."

"I'm sure you will."

I follow Kai out, and we sit at our desks.

"Does everyone have dates?"

"Yes. They'll bring a date or their husband or wife. They know it's last minute for you. It's not a big deal."

"I've never been on a date. I wouldn't know where to find one."

"Never?"

"Boys don't notice me."

"I'm sure they do."

I shake my head. "My friend, Eriska, that's her name. She says my head is always too far in a book to notice boys noticing me. I think she's wrong. If someone had asked me out, I would have heard that. We're taking the summer off studying though. We're going to meet boys."

"Don't go crazy with boys. You are still quite young."

I nod. "She wants to have s*x for money. I don't want to do that."

There's a loud crash inside Malax's office. We stare at the door, but it's closed.

"Don't do that. You need to finish school. You can get diseases or get pregnant. You could get hurt or killed. It's not worth the risks."

"That's true. And I have a real job now. Is the party fun?"

"I have no idea if it'll be fun for a teenager."

"True. Probably a bunch of old people talking about business. I might not even be able to find a friend to come."

"Tell her it's a party. Don't tell her where until she gets here."

I laugh so hard. "I'm doing that. She would do that to me if it was her work party."