Undisclosed Reasons
Two days later, I sat in the same uncomfortable chair across from Janet and Mr. Daniels, my complaint folder clutched in my hands like a shield. Something felt different immediately—the air in the room was thick with tension.
Janet wouldn’t meet my eyes, and Mr. Daniels kept checking his watch as if he had somewhere more important to be. ‘We’ve reviewed your concerns thoroughly, Cathy,’ Janet began, her voice oddly formal, like she was reading from a script.
I straightened my back, ready for justice. ‘And?’ I prompted when the silence stretched too long.
Janet and Mr. Daniels exchanged a look that made my stomach clench. ‘Unfortunately,’ Janet continued, ‘Becca isn’t someone we can take disciplinary action against at this time.’ I blinked, certain I’d misheard. ‘Excuse me? Did you not see the videos?
The public humiliation?’ My voice cracked slightly. Mr. Daniels cleared his throat. ‘We understand your frustration, but our hands are tied.
‘ When I asked why—a perfectly reasonable question—Janet just repeated the same robotic phrase: ‘For reasons that can’t be disclosed.’ I felt like I’d been punched in the gut.
Fifteen years of loyalty, and this was what it got me—corporate doublespeak and mysterious ‘undisclosed reasons.
‘
As I walked out of that office, legs shaking and eyes burning with unshed tears, I had no idea that Becca already had plans to make sure I wouldn’t be asking any more questions.