Free My White Boss by Aaliyah Jackson

 
     
     
     
    My White Boss
     
     
     
    Aaliyah Jackson
     
     
     
     
    Taking a long sip of my caramel macchiato in the downstairs work café, I tried to clear my mind from the stress I was under. It was only a few weeks ago that I finally worked up the courage to break it off with my ex-boyfriend Andreas, after putting up with years of his constant emotional abuse. Just when I was finally starting to get on with my life and forget about him, he called and threatened to show up at my work. I didn’t tell him where I was living, but there’s no way I would be able to get a new job in time to avoid him and God knows that motherfucker is too stupid to listen to my threats about calling the police on him.
    The sound of my ringtone coming from my purse snapped me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out and looked at the screen, sighing as I saw him name and face being displayed.
    Might as well bite the bullet and pick up…
    After several seconds of staring at the screen blankly, I finally answered.
    “What do you want now? Haven’t you put me through enough?”
    When he responded, he slurred his words slightly as if he was drunk.
    “Listen, baby, Tanya, you know we’ve been together too long to just stop seeing each other. I made some mistakes, and I’m admitting that. I’m just asking you to forgive me.”
    “I’ve forgiven you way to many times already, Andreas. Every time you say you’re going to change and that you love me, but what happens then? Nothing. You stay the same, treating me wrong and cheating.”
    “Baby, I wouldn’t cheat on you.”
    “So when my girlfriends saw you in the club grinding on some nasty ass strippers, that wasn’t cheating?”
    For way too long everyone I knew was telling me he was cheating, but I was too naïve to listen. Hearing his voice go through the old familiar lines in an attempt to win me back caused a shiver through my body, and I knew I had to hang up soon or risk getting emotional at work. It was hard enough to be taken seriously as the only black woman in my law firm, where 90% of the employees were white males. It’s only been a few months since I started, and I knew that if I broke down and cried I would be giving up any chances of a promotion or them taking me seriously.
    Oh Great, I thought as my boss Maxwell walked in, now I really need to get off the damn phone.
    “Listen Andreas, I have to go.”
    “So it’s like that huh? Well looks like I’ll be paying you a visit.”
    He hung up the phone, but before I could call him back to beg him not to come my boss made eye contact with me, and started heading my way. I plastered on a fake smile as he approached, and even though I was distracted I couldn’t help but check him out as he headed towards me, immaculately dressed in a suit that probably cost more than I make in a year.
    “Tanya! I’m glad I ran into you. I’ve been meaning to ask, how did you go sorting through all the files I sent you yesterday?”
    I stared into his eyes with a guilty look, silently cursing myself. With how much Andreas had been distracting me, I had completely forgotten about the files.
    “I’m so sorry Sir, I was caught up in some... personal matters. I can assure you that I’ll have everything on your desk ready to go in a couple hours.”
    He frowned.
    “I understand, but as head of this firm I have to tell you that’s an unacceptable answer. Everyone has personal issues from time to time, but as soon as you walk in these doors you leave that behind. I can’t have your personal issues interfering with your work. There are a lot of people lining up to replace you if you don’t agree.”
    I gulped and nodded in agreement.
    “I’m sorry Sir, you’re right. I’ll make sure I don’t get distracted by my personal life in the future. I’ll have the report to you by –  ”
    My words faltered and I stopped talking mid-sentence as I saw Andreas jogging through the door. He looked around the room and quickly spotted me.
    How