Episode 1229: Gospel

She made it through one file before she found herself saying, “I wasn’t hired for revenge. My grandpa doesn’t care where I work.”

Shelane Woo responded to that assertion with a scoff. “Mr. Baird and Mr. Marques and every other mogul on the planet want nothing more than to best each other.”

“And I put Mr. Baird over the top in that contest?” It was Tansy’s turn to scoff. “You’ve seen me get shot down every time I so much as try to float out an idea here.”

Shelane had declared Tansy entitled pretty much every single day, especially for thinking her ideas mattered enough to share at work, so Tansy knew Shelane was well aware that Tansy’s position at Baird wasn’t a powerful one.

“Is it because I have ideas?” Tansy asked. “Is that your actual problem with me? Do you wish you had more ideas? Or do you just wish you were brave enough to put yours out there to be shot down? I could help with that, I wasn’t always-”

“The only way you could help me is if you married me,” Shelane said, “then I’d get to live off the benefits of your bloodline, too.”

“That isn’t what I’m doing!” Tansy’s voice raised to such a volume that a passerby momentarily stopped at the open door giving both young women an admonishing look before moving on.

“I can’t believe I keep letting you get me into trouble,” Tansy noted, quieter. This had happened numerous times, Tansy reacting to something Shelane had said only for some higher up to see her reaction and disapprove without knowing the context. “Maybe that’s the plan though, to get me fired.”

“The only way you’ll be fired is is if your grandpa keels over so there’s no more competition for you,” Shelane said. “Look at how much you get away with annoying everyone with your questions and ideas and opinions, and still no one has fired you for overstepping. If I did any of that I’d have been shown the door ages ago.”

Shelane shook her head. “But Baird won’t fire you. He doesn’t want you taking your ideas back to your grandpa. Your grandpa was practically letting you think you were co-CEO even though guaranteed he was still totally calling the shots, still, he was super happy to have you at his side. And Baird doesn’t want a happy rival, Marques is less likely to make mistakes if he’s thinking clearly and content. I’m sure at some point Baird will humor one of your ideas just so you aren’t tempted to jump ship to your grandpa when he inevitably tries to poach you back from Baird. This is a pretty good scam you’ve got going, Tansy, playing them against each other. I guess you do have business acumen in your own way.”

“Hasn’t anyone ever warned you against making assumptions?” Tansy asked. “Mr. Baird didn’t poach me and no way would my grandpa poach me back, either. You think you know so much, you know nothing. He fired me, Shelane. You seem to have missed that fun part of my story. My grandpa doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

Episode 1230: Taking Care Of Business