It was time for me to start fixing things for myself. If only I knew where to start. At this point, the idea of putting us back together, of getting back to the way it had been before, seemed like an impossible task.
I sighed and flopped down on my couch, staring up at the ceiling.
20
Leah
I really hadn’t been sure what to expect from the work retreat, but I had to admit, I was really enjoying myself. It was just the accounting team, and I was enjoying the chance to really get a chance to know some of my coworkers outside the office. We were deep in the San Bernardino Forest, in a place that was sort of like a summer camp for grown-ups.
It was a welcome break from the concrete jungle of the city. I hadn’t realized how much I was missing open spaces until I got here. It made sense, though; I had never lived in a place like LA before, with its high-rise buildings, traffic, and smog. Getting out into nature, whatever kind it was, felt glorious.
It wasn’t just the surroundings, though; the whole atmosphere was great. It was a total change from being in the office every day, but I already felt like we were sure to work more like a team from here on out.
I would happily have stayed for longer if we could.
We only had a few nights there, though. We had come up early on Friday, and we were leaving this afternoon. Most of Friday and Saturday had been spent on team-building activities and brainstorming exercises. There was a large lodge in the midst of all the little cabins which served as home base for us for the weekend.
We had done a little bit of everything. Nothing that had directly related to our work, but all meant to utilize the same skills that we needed to do our jobs. I had to admit, doing trust falls with people who had been my coworkers for such a short time was nerve-wracking. I just had to keep reminding myself that Piper had been at the company for longer than I had and still barely knew some of them.
In any case, I was game for it, and I felt closer to them all now. I was glad that I had come into the company at the time I had.
Now, it was early Sunday morning, and I was sitting out on the front porch of our cabin, sipping at some coffee, listening to birdsong, and waiting for the rest of them to get up. Most of them had stayed up a lot later than I had the night before. I felt like a grandma going to sleep as early as I had, but after staying up so late on Friday night, I wasn’t up for a repeat on Saturday, unfortunately.
I had been feeling tired a lot lately. I knew it was just my body getting used to my new schedule and my new environment. Not only that, but it needed to recover for those couple of nights I let Piper keep me out late or Jayson keep me up late.
Besides, today was the day that I needed to put my best foot forward, and I wouldn’t be able to do that if I was overtired and cranky. Today was the day for one-on-ones with the people at the company who made the real decisions. Piper had been preparing for this day for a while now, trying to ensure she got that promotion she wanted.
Even though I was new, making a good impression today could set me up for future success, and I wasn’t about to squander that chance.
With that thought in mind, I headed back into the cabin I shared with Piper. She was in the shower at the moment. I turned my attention to considering the outfits I had brought with me. I had definitely overpacked for the weekend, but I didn’t regret doing so. I hadn’t really known how casual things were going to be, so I’d wanted to bring a few different options. Today was the day to make sure I was dressed to impress.
I knew that Piper was planning to “dress for the job she wanted,” and I thought that was pretty solid advice. At the same time, most of our higher-ups had been walking around in jeans and T-shirts for the weekend, and I had a feeling that was likely to be the case today as well. I didn’t want to feel too overdressed in comparison.
I selected a soft green sundress that would look cute and professional while at the same time looking casual to fit the setting. I’d pair it with some small silver earrings, nothing too fancy.
I nodded to myself, happy with my choices. All I had to do was wait for Piper to get out of the bathroom, and then I could head in there, get changed, and get all ready for my day.