Jill

JACKIE'S APARTMENT

We were having dinner.

"June tell bun to hop off the table!" Ordered Jackie.

"What! But he is part of the family," June grumbled.

"Yeah, he is part of the family okay, but not part of my dining table." Scolded Jackie.

"Bun, come here," June said to her rabbit. She stretched forth her hands and the little rabbit hopped into her arms-so cute!

"June!!!"

"What!! I can hold him with me." She scoffed. She obviously was not pleased her cousin's sister was yet to accept her pet as part of the family.

"Bring him to me." I reached out to little bun, ignoring Jackie's side-eyed look.

"He doesn't like you. Well, at least not yet." Replied June.

"Anyway," I retreated going back to my meal. "I was busy before, so....yes!" I said pretending not to be hurt by the rejection.

"If a rabbit doesn't love me, it's all good." I thought to myself.

We ate in silence for a few moments before June brought up the conversation from work.

"Jill. I want to know actually.... about work, what really happened?"

My spoon fell onto the ceramic plate and I looked lost for a while.

"Ermm. Workk....you mean work??" I stammered.

"Yes. Work!" June replied, sipping her apple juice.

I adjusted myself to my seat. I was definitely not ready yet for the conversation about work.

"Well June, "I started. I looked to Jackie to help me, but she looked away.

"June....Ermm" I started to fumble. I just did not know how to pass the knowledge that I was suspended at work for falsifying records.

"She was suspended at work for falsifying records!" Jackie said on my behalf.

And I took a deep breath. "Thanks, Jackie," I muttered.

"Wait what??" June said.

"Jill, you surely did not right?"

"Of course not." I suddenly found my voice. "How could I possibly falsify records, why would I want to do something like that??" I asked no one in particular.

June heaved a sign of relief, then continued with her food.

June was about to say something but my phone rang.

"I am sorry, I have to take this call," I said and walked away from the dining table.

"Hello."

"Hello, Tim."

"How have you been Jill?" He asked.

"I do not know Tim," I started.

"Jill, I have something to tell you."

"And what is that?" I asked.

"Before you were called to Mrs Ella's office earlier today. Mrs Ella kept insisting that you Jill falsified the results...."

"Hmm, that witch!" I muttered.

"Because she insisted, Mr James had to call the coordinators of the Bella Beauty Awards. I was there Jill. He put his phone on hands-free."

"What happened next?" I asked, wanting to know more.

"Well, a lady picked up the call. She said we were lucky to get her, which was really rare...."

"Okay," I was impatient.

"After Mr James filed his complaint, Clara-the lady had to go through her system right there and then, as we were waiting for her. She went through all the records of the companies that were nominated for the awards...."

"And what did she find?"

"She found out that Skin by Nature was blacklisted on Nature of deceit! And boom! Mrs Ella kept on shouting and calling your name, saying you have ruined all her efforts."

"Tim, I do not know what to say!!" I was truly downcast.

"I don't know Jill, but I suspect foul play here. To think of the fact that Mrs. Ella wants to pin this on you, by all means, is frightening. You were not the only one that carried out surveys for that project!"

"She hates me, Tim, she hates me and that's the problem."I rubbed my forehead and looked for where to sit, but I could find none.

"Jill listen to me, I will get to the root of this problem no matter what it takes!"

"Tim, I do not want you to involve yourself in my mess...."

"Stop saying nonsense!" He cut me short.

"I am so sorry Tim." I fought back my tears.

"Jill, I will talk to you by tomorrow."

"Yes, thanks."

He hung up.



****

"Ahhh ha ha, now this is really silly. How does "a count of deceit" relate to you Jill," June asked laughing. We had just finished dinner and I had told June and Jackie about the phone call.

"That is what you get when one hates you!!" Jackie fired.

"Jackie!"

"What?"

"What does Mr Maxwell have to say about all this?? Surely you can't tell me Mrs Ella has that much power." Remarked June.

"No she doesn't," Jackie said. "Come to think of it, why would Jill inflate the scores for Skin by Nature to win an award if she is not going to gain anything personally from it? It's just too silly and illogical," She added.

"Yes it is Jackie, but Mrs Ella has manipulated it all." There was a brief silence then I spoke.

"Jackie," I called.

"Yes."

"Please can you resume work tomorrow?" I pleaded.

"And why is that??" She asked, stunned.

"I do not want you to get into trouble because of me. I was the one given a suspension, not you. If you stay off work, it might lead you to lose your job."

"Then so be it."

"Jackie!!"

"Jill. You cannot change my mind. If you are on suspension, then I am too. After all, I needed this break anyway," She said.









****

MAXWELL

"What is it, Max!!" Ella screamed at the top of her voice, and it was deafening.

"Ella come back here, you are hiding something from me!! Don't you dare run away from me!!"

"Then don't you dare follow me!" I looked at my wife a little disgusted.

"Ella, what has gotten into you??" I asked. "All this craziness, all this bitterness, where are they coming from??" I asked, truly concerned.

"Leave me alone Max!"

I held her arms and drew her to me.

"I said leave me alone Max!"

"I can't Ella! What the hell has gotten into you!!" I roared at her.

"It is you Maxwell that I should ask that question. Since you have decided to take the sides of a nobody!"

"Who is the nobody?? Jill?? Ella, did you ever forget that you both were friends!"

"Don't tell me that Maxwell, please do not remind me of that past! Whatever we had together is long gone."

"Ella!!" I was so stunned by the words that came out of Ella's mouth.

"Maxwell, I have had enough for today and I deserve to rest." She said and was about to walk away.

"Ella," I called. "Jill is innocent, you know that, right?"

She turned to look at me.

"But she is not."

"You can't be serious, Ella."

"But I am, I have never been more serious, Max! Did you not hear what that lady Clara say....."

"Ella, what she said never pointed fingers to anyone in particular....."

"But it does not point fingers at me!" She fired back, acting defensively.

"I never said that she did Ella!"

Ella paused for a while, then she walked up to me and stared into my eyes. She held my hands before speaking to me.

"Maxwell, let it be okay....let this case go. It's not worth it. Jill is guilty, and it ends there please....."

She said and walked away.

****

JILL

A FEW DAYS LATER

My suspension has been called off all of a sudden, which was a great surprise to me, and I can finally go back to work.

"Jill!!!" Screamed most of my colleagues.

"Oh Jill, we've missed you." I was bombarded with hugs and kisses from my colleagues, and I was so happy to be with them again.

"Welcome Jill," Jackie said. She had come to work earlier than me.

"Thanks, Jackie, welcome too." Jackie had indeed insisted on being on suspension with me the whole time I was on suspension and I do not know how I felt about it.

"Come, I have a lot to tell you!!" She pulled me to our shared desk.

"Jill, you have someone to say thank you to." She said immediately we were seated. "Tim. He is the very reason you're back from suspension so early." She added.

"Are you serious Jackie??" I asked, covering my mouth with my hands, acting really surprised.

"Yes, Jill."

"He took out the results from all the surveys and compared every single one of them with the other.

He argued that there was nothing too different from your own submitted results to those of the others...... to cut the whole long story short, Mr Tim saved you. He had to risk it all in front of Mr James the founder, Mr Maxwell, and Mrs Ella.....

He argued with them hands down and proved beyond reasonable doubt that you were innocent. Mr James had no choice but to shun Mrs Ella and raise your suspension."

Tears filled my eyes.

"Oh Jackie.... I don't know what to do. How would I appreciate him now, this is way too much." I said crying.

"Jill, I have also thought about that but all you have to do is to say thank you...what more can one do."

"Have you seen him today at work??" I asked amidst tears.

"Not yet dear, and it is very unlike him. Mr Tim always comes to work so early."

"Yeah, weird!!"

Just then Gloria walked up to meet us.

"Mrs Ella is expecting you Jackie, in her office this very minute." She said, head bowed.

Jackie and I stared at each other in surprise.......



****

"I'm coming with you."

"No dear. You do not have to."

"Jackie, I cannot let you go see her alone."

"Jill please, it's all good."

Jackie stood up to go see Mrs Ella, leaving me behind.

"Dear Lord what is this??" I muttered. "Why can't she just leave us alone??"



****

JACKIE

"Have this!" Miss Ella shoved a white envelope into my arms.

I tried to open it.

"Not here, leave my office!"

"Yes, Ma'am," I replied, but she smirked.

I stepped out of her office and immediately opened the letter. I was so curious........



****

JILL

"Jackie! Jackie!!"

I called after her. Jackie had just run out of Mrs Ella's office and was crying heavily.

She ran past me and outside the main building.

"Jackie!!" I ran after her.

"Jackie. Please, Jackie, talk to me. Is anything the problem? What has she done to you?" I asked her.

I walked up to Jackie holding her by the shoulders but she did not say a word. She handed me a piece of paper.

"Wait what? A sack letter?"

"It says I left work for days without permission, neglecting my duties."

"Oh, Jackie." I pulled her into an embrace.

"I am so sorry Jackie." I cried. "I am so sorry, it's all my fault!"

We both cried together.

"Wait here for me," I said to Jackie.

****

"Hey, you." I banged into Ella's office.

"Who is the noise maker?" She asked mockingly.

"How can you be so cruel?" I asked. "So you decided to come for Jackie as you could not get me right??" I screamed at her, but she just laughed, pleased at what she had done.

"Why have you sworn that I would never have peace working here at Skin by Nature? A company I had been working for years before you became Maxwell's wife. Jackie and I were just getting ourselves back together again, yet you decided to strike again and ruin it."

She just smirked, looking really unconcerned.

I wanted to hit her but thought against it.

"You know what, you are not even worth it." I said calmly. "Someone who turns against her friends is not someone worth fighting for. Hope you are happy now. I am leaving. Goodby."

I said and walked out, leaving Ella dumbstruck.

I packed mine and Jackie's belongings one last time.

I was leaving Skin by Nature and this time, there's no turning back.......