After finally arriving on the fifteenth floor, I went about my work as usual, trying my best to ignore the fact that my shoe was irreparably damaged and hair wet. I smiled as I handed back files to lawyers and picked up new assignments. I kept on smiling even when two lawyers yelled at me for giving them bad news about their cases. I knew they weren't mad at me, but at the information. I tried not to let it phase me and went back to my desk.
My office was really just a table that I shared with several other paralegals. We all worked out in the open to give the lawyers easy access to us. I didn't really mind the setup, but I did wish I had a way to keep my pens from being stolen all the time.
I set up my laptop and went to work typing up a letter for one of the attorneys. It was tedious work and I nearly had it completed when I went to hit save. Instead of saving, the blue screen of death took over my computer.
It's not the end of the world, I promised myself as I dialed tech support. Tech support promised to send someone up right
away as long as I stayed at my desk. I glanced at my watch. It was almost lunch time. My performance review was scheduled for after lunch and then I would be on my way to dinner with my little sister. The day still had so much opportunity.
“All this bad stuff is just so the good stuff will outweigh it later,” I told myself as I sat patiently. I tried to work on other things, but my stomach was starting to growl. Just as I was about to give up on tech support and get my lunch, a very frazzled looking computer-guy arrived.
“Sorry, I'm new and I got lost on my way here,” he apologized. “This place is a maze.”
“It gets everyone turned around the first couple of times.” With the way the cubicles and tables were set up, people were always getting lost. “I'm hoping you can save the file I was working on,” I said handing him the computer. He began hitting buttons and with every passing minute, the frown on his face deepened.
“I'm really sorry, miss,” he said, closing the lid and standing. “But, your laptop is toast.”
I wanted to bang my head against the table. This was not my day.
“So there's no way to retrieve the letter I was working on?” I asked hopefully. The lawyer needed it in an hour. If I had to rewrite it completely, I wouldn't have time for lunch before my review.
“I'm really sorry, but no.” The computer guy shook his head.
“What about the other files on there? I have a lot of work stored on that thing.” Panic made my voice squeak a little. I had months of data and open cases on that computer.
“I'll be able to salvage that with some equipment in my office,” he assured me. “Since this is a firm computer, I'll put it on a new laptop and bring it up for you. I'm afraid you'll have to use a loaner computer until I get that done, though.”
“Thank you.” I tried to sound grateful, but it was hard. I hated the loaner computers and now I was going to be spending my lunch working on one. He nodded and hurried away with my broken laptop. I got to work as quickly as I could.
I finished the letter and handed it off just in time to make it to my review. I went to Calvin's office and said a little prayer before knocking on his door. This was the part of my day that should make up for the crappy morning.
The door opened just as I raised my hand to knock and I nearly ended up knocking on Alexa instead of the door.
“Holy crap, Lena,” Alexa shouted as she stepped back like I had actually hit her. “What's your problem?”
“I'm so sorry, Alexa!” I apologized, feeling my face blaze with color. “I was just coming to see Calvin.”
She glared at me and smoothed her designer suit across her slim hips. Alexa Jones was fresh out of law school and for whatever reason, she hated me. Someone said I looked like the girl her fiance dumped her for, but I couldn't believe someone as educated as she was could be that shallow. All I knew was that she despised me.
“I'll see you later tonight, Calvin.” Alexa gave Calvin a sweet smile before jostling me out of her way. She banged my shoulder against the door frame in the process, making me wince, but she didn't even look back.
As a paralegal, my review was with my supervisor, Calvin Abrams. He was a Jr. Associate who was expected to make the move upstairs to Sr. Associate by the end of the year. He was in charge of me and another paralegal, as well as the new hire associates. I liked him, and up until the time Alexa joined the staff, he had liked me.
For two years, I had been Calvin's go-to girl. Then, six months ago, Alexa had arrived and things changed between us. He stopped asking for me on his cases. I no longer went to court with him as a second chair. I was not a lawyer, and thus I suddenly was of no use to him.
“Come have a seat, Lena, and we'll get started,” Calvin said, not looking up from his desk. I sat down cautiously, still blushing from nearly knocking on Alexa's face. He pulled out a file with my name on it and placed it neatly on the desk. “I'd like to make this as quick as possible for both of us.”
I nodded eagerly and smoothed the stiff fabric of my skirt, but couldn't seem to get comfortable. Something about this meeting wasn't sitting well with me.
“I have some concerns about your performance, Lena.” Calvin frowned at the papers in front of him. There was a tension in the room that shouldn't have been there. This was supposed to be an easy review with a pretty much guaranteed raise, but now I was getting nervous. “Alexa asked you to assist her with the Preston case discovery. She said you told her no, and that you weren't polite about it. It is your job to assist the lawyers here, Lena. I know you don't get along with Alexa, but if she asks you to do something, you need to do it.”
I opened my mouth, but had nothing to say that would change his mind. It didn't matter that Alexa used me as her personal secretary. It didn't matter that I was already doing most of the work on all her other cases in addition to my other job duties because she didn't know how to do it properly. To be fair, I had snapped at her a little when she dropped the file for the Preston case in my lap. I was already behind with two other lawyers and it was her job, not mine. She just didn't want to do it because she had dinner reservations that night. I still couldn't believe she had brought it to Calvin, though. She tattled on me knowing my job review was coming up.
Calvin shuffled the papers on his desk before looking at me. His expression was the same as my father's when I had brought home a B- on my report card. I had gone from Calvin's favorite paralegal to problem child in his eyes. “I know you deserve this raise, but with what Alexa has said about your job performance with her, I can't in good conscience give it to you until you work things out with her. And honestly, it makes me question putting your name into the partners for the scholarship.”
“Calvin-” I started, but thought better of it and shut my mouth.
“I really wish you would be more like Alexa.” Calvin looked at me with such disappointment and pity that I felt sick to my stomach. “You'll just need to work harder. Like she does. I can't take your name out of the scholarship running, but I will have to tell them my concerns.