Maria did her best to keep her head down and concentrate on work; Barney remained quiet and distracted. The necessity for focus made the hours pass quickly, and when she finally left the office, she realized she hadn’t thought about the stalker at all.
She wondered whether that was good or bad.
On Wednesday, the lunch with Leslie and Jill went even better than Maria could have hoped. Leslie was in many respects a perfect complement to her best friend in the office – just as lively and irreverent, but also nurturing and thoughtful. The idea of working side by side with them began to seem too good to be true. After lunch, when Jill popped over to report that Leslie had been equally enthusiastic about the meeting, Maria felt a wave of relief. Jill also walked her through their basic offer, including her salary, which was significantly lower, but at this point Maria didn’t care. She would adjust her lifestyle accordingly.
“I’m excited,” she told Jill. She wondered what – if anything – she should reveal about her stalker or the fact that she and Colin were tentatively back together, and then she realized that she hadn’t even mentioned the fact that they’d been broken up.
Too much happening all at once.
Meanwhile, at Martenson, Hertzberg & Holdman, the black cloud that had descended on the office grew steadily darker, and as she and Jill approached her office, Jill leaned toward her.
“Don’t be surprised if you hear something major tomorrow,” she warned.
Indeed, on Thursday morning, word raced through the office that Lynn had filed with the EEOC. Ken again was a no-show. Though the report was supposed to be confidential, in an office of high-powered attorneys with favors to call in, it was soon on virtually everyone’s computer. Joining the crowd, Maria read through the EEOC charges, which spelled out all the lurid details. The report recounted in blunt and highly specific, often sexual language Ken’s numerous and unwanted advances, including his promises of career advancement and a higher salary in exchange for specific sexual favors. Employees, their worst fears now confirmed, were moving around in a daze.
Maria and Jill escaped the office, heading to lunch at their usual time, and discussed when to announce that they’d be leaving the firm. Maria leaned toward the idea of letting Barney know sooner rather than later so he wouldn’t be caught in a bind – maybe within a few days.
“He’s demanding, but he’s also been fair and I’ve learned a lot from him,” Maria said. “And I have no desire to make things even worse for him.”
“That’s a valid point – and it’s thoughtful – but it might backfire. I’m wondering if we should let the dust settle first.”
“Why?”
“Because once you and I announce that we’re leaving, it might set off an exodus of other attorneys, which could lead to a death spiral. We announce, then others do, then clients leave, and the next thing you know, even people who were willing to stick around might find themselves out of work.”
“I’m sure a lot of people are already considering their options.”
“I’m sure. I would. But that’s not the same as actually resigning.”
In the end, they compromised on two weeks from Friday, leaving Barney with a short window to find a replacement. From there, the conversation moved on to the kind of firm they wanted to create – the kinds of cases they’d take on, how they’d grow their client base, which of their clients might follow them, how much support staff they’d initially need.
On Friday, another bomb went off in the office when word raced through the hallways that Heather, Ken’s paralegal, and Gwen, the receptionist, had also filed complaints with the EEOC, their statements as damaging as Lynn’s had been. Once again, the partners closeted themselves behind closed doors, no doubt sending death stares in Ken’s direction.
One by one, associates and staff began leaving the office – some at three, others at four. Exhausted from the week, Maria decided to join them. After all, she was planning to meet Colin later, and needed time to unwind first.
“I can’t imagine how surreal it must have been all week,” Colin remarked.
“It’s been… awful. A lot of people are angry and scared and practically all of them feel blindsided. They had no idea something like this was coming.” They were at the Pilot House again, and though they’d spoken on the phone a couple of times – both of them trying to inch their way back to normal – this was the first time Maria had seen Colin since her visit to Crabby Pete’s. In his jeans and white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, he looked, impossibly, even better than he had on Monday. Funny, she thought, what even a little time apart could do.
“And Jill?”
“A total lifesaver. Without her offer, I don’t know what I would have done. It’s not as though firms are hiring these days, and I probably would have been a basket case. And Jill’s right. With three employees filing with the EEOC, it’s pretty certain that even if the firm does find a way to survive, all the partners are going to be on the hook financially and it’s going to be grim for the next few years.”
“Which probably means they’re upset.”
“Try furious. I’m pretty sure that they’d all like nothing better than to strangle Ken.”
“Doesn’t the firm have insurance for things like this?”
“They’re not sure it’ll cover this. He was clearly breaking the law, and according to the complaints, there are recordings, e-mails, texts, and one of the paralegals supposedly even has a video.”