“Uh, vell…” Melih hesitated. I should have told you sooner. I feel guilty for not telling you because I could have saved you from marrying dat idiot.”
“Tell me what, Melih?”
“What did Gannon do?” Aurora asked. “Or is it about Shazzy?”
“No.”
“Did you want to tell me something else?” Aurora said.
Tessa grabbed Aurora, interrupting her and Melih, “Hey, that guy Eric was so lame.”
Tessa checked out Melih from head to toe. “Who’s this?”
“This is my friend,” Aurora said. “My friend, Melih.”
Tessa had never met any of Aurora and Gannon’s friends because they would never invite her over. It was not Aurora’s choice. Gannon hated Tessa, but he hated most people who loved Aurora and could see through his facade of a personality, which got in the way of his controlling Aurora.
Tessa said, “Aurora, let’s go somewhere else.”
Aurora said to Melih, “I’d asked you to join us, but it’s just us ladies hanging out tonight.”
Melih said, “I understand. I am here vith friends anyway.”
“Well, message me sometime. You got my number.” She rolled her eyes at herself. How cheesy of a thing to say, Aurora. Wait, was that cheesy?
“Okay, I will,” Melih said as he walked away and waved. “Have a good night.”
Aurora and Tessa left the club. Aurora didn’t even say bye to Jack because she was in a state of euphoria. Her confidence level was high after going out that night. She was shocked she was getting positive attention from guys, especially from Melih. That came out of left field. Not only did Melih save her from Jack’s two left feet, but he also saved her from worrying about what Gannon had done. Wherever else Aurora and Tessa went that night, it would not distract her from thinking about Melih.
Chapter 8
Aurora had a lot to do at work for the coming month. She had a big gala coming up for her magazine, which they had every year since the magazine had started three years prior. They would choose a charity organization that they would team up with to raise money.
One morning, Tiffany knocked on Aurora’s office door as Aurora was digging in her desk drawer looking for some lead to put in her mechanical pencil.
“Ms. Tousey?” Tiffany said, but it was muffled because the door was closed.
“Yes,” Aurora said as she was still scavenging.
“May I come in?”
“Yes.”
“Ms. Tousey, I had a question.”
“Ha! Found it!” Aurora said as she pulled the lead from a tiny plastic box in the drawer.
“Excuse me?” Tiffany said.
“Sorry, I was looking for some pencil lead and I finally found it,” Aurora said as she said up straight. “What is your question?”
“Well,” Tiffany said. “I was writing up the talking points you gave me for the meeting.”
“Okay?”
“Well, could you tell me a little bit more about why you want DAIS?”
“Why? What is everyone saying?”
“Well, uh,” Tiffany said. “I am just curious.”
The choices were between the non-profit organizations Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, known as DAIS. The second was the Center for Resilient Cities, which focused on providing clean water and food to everyone in need in Madison.
DAIS was important to Aurora because she was abused herself and met with a support group from DAIS, which was one of the many services they offered. Still, no one at work knew that Gannon had abused her. The people who were on the committee to choose the non-profit organization narrowed it down to two organizations. So naturally, Aurora wanted DAIS.
“I have insisted several times that I just really believe in their organization.” I will never mention that they are helping me to get over my abusive relationship and childhood.
“I know, but…”
“If you must know, it is because I have a friend from college who was in an abusive relationship and they helped her a lot. I saw firsthand the work that they are doing,” Aurora said. “A-a-and I volunteer, as well.”
“All right,” Tiffany said. “That is what I will tell them?”
“Tell who?” Aurora asked.
“I mean if Mr. Fratzenberg asks, or anyone at the meeting asks.”
“Okay.”
“Well, that’s all I wanted to know,” Tiffany said as she left.
Later on that day, Aurora went out to talk with Tiffany at her desk when she overheard her staff whispering about something. She overheard some staff talking about how everyone thought it was weird for how passionate Aurora was about the organization.
“I am thirsty,” Aurora said. “I’m going to get some water.” Aurora’s face got red after hearing the other colleagues talking.
Aurora walked over by the water cooler in her office building to fill up her water bottle.
“Oh….” Aurora cleared her throat to let them know that she was there. “Don’t let me interrupt whatever you were talking about.” The people talking flinched in awe.
“We are sorry, Ms. Tousey. We didn’t see you there,” one of them said with a hesitation in their voice.
“We didn’t mean to upset you,” they continued.
“Oh. I am not upset,” she said as her voice cracked and her cheeks flushed with red. “Why would I be upset?”
“Oh, nothing…” All of their faces became red and they all dispersed back to their cubicles.
She smiled at them and quickly stomped back to her office. If only they knew what was going on with me, then they wouldn’t need to gossip. No, wait. They would probably gossip more. Especially since I lost all this weight, too. I can’t win.
Since Aurora was in a place of power, she wanted to have others believe in DAIS, too. The only powerful person she was up against was her boss. His thick, wispy gray hair and strong jawline reminded her of George Clooney. He had the confidence that made you doubt your own self. The French cufflinks he always wore on the cuffs of his shirt under his suit sleeves were silver and engraved with the letter F, in old-fashioned calligraphy, which stood for Fratzenburg. You could tell the links had been passed down into his family for generations. She would always refer to him as Mr. Fratzenburg because he wanted it that way. It was as if he didn’t have a first name.
The magazine was one of the many businesses that he owned. He didn’t know the first thing about articles or writing, but he was an entrepreneur and businessman. So he knew money. The magazine was a gold mine for advertising, but usually, he was “too busy” to meet with Aurora whenever she wanted to meet with him. He treated his employees like peasants. So, Aurora knew it would be hard to persuade him.
She met with him in the conference room later that afternoon. The table was long with a glass top and Mr. Fratzenberg sat at the end of the table looking out the window with his legs crossed.
“So, Aurora, tell me why you think we should choose this?” Mr. Fratzenberg said.
“Well,” Aurora said. “It is a place I have been volunteering at.”
“And?” He said