Dar looked up and saw Kerry coming at the truck at a run, briefly distracted by the look of tense upset in her partner's face.
The passenger side door jerked open. “What?” Kerry said. “What's wrong?”
Dar blinked, her mind operating on two separate levels. “Wow. That does work.” She said, then exhaled. “It's Alastair. We've both just been fired.”
Kerry slid across the seat and closed the door. “Done deal? Already?”
Dar nodded. “No benefits or anything. So we've got some planning to do, heath insurance and that stuff.” She turned back to the phone. “Alastair, I”m sorry. I don't know what else to say to you.”
He sighed. “They're sending some people to the Miami office, to take over your role. Might want to warn those folks there. I think they'll send an email out.”
“Okay.” Dar said. “I guess if they didn't give me a package, that means I also don't have a non compete clause.” She remarked. “After we go on vacation and come back, if you want a job, call me.”
Alastair was silent for a moment, then he chuckled. “Know what? I just might.” He said. “Dar, I am damned sorry. I didn't want it to end like this.”
Kerry moved closer. “Alastair?” She leaned her head against Dar's shoulder.
“Hm? Oh. Yes. Hello, Kerry.” Alastair said. “I'm sorry about all this, especially after all that we went through.”
“You know, maybe it had to end like this.” She said. “There wasn't an easy way out.”
He sighed.
“I feel bad about the good people we're leaving there.” Kerry said in a more serious tone. “I'm going to call Mayte and Maria, Dar. I think you should call Mark. Let him know before they tell him.”
Dar nodded. “I'll have our laptops couriered to the office, Alastair. Have them turned into security.”
“Y'know? Me too.” Alastair said. “I just texted the wife with that PDA thing. She's happy as a clam.” He sounded surprised. “Maybe you were right, Kerry.”
“Okay, Alastair – give me a call later and we can make sure it's all wrapped up. “Dar said. “I'm going to call Mari and Duks so they don't get surprised either.”
“All right. Talk to you later.” Alastair said, then hung up.
Dar put her phone down on her leg, and looked at Kerry. “Know something?”
“I know I don't feel as bad as I probably should feel.” Kerry said. “And, that we probably need to get that company up and going sooner rather than later.” She sat back. “Wow.”
“Yeah.” Dar shook her head and opened her phone again. “Let me get Mari on the line so she can send out a note to the staff.”
“Let me get her.” Kerry took the phone. “Let's drive by that office complex we looked up and check it out. I get a feeling it's going to be a very very busy week.”
Dar leaned her elbows on the steering wheel and smiled wryly. “Sometimes, fate has a way of kicking you in the ass to make you start moving.”
Kerry nodded as she listened to the phone. “Hey Mari, this is Kerry.” She said. “Yeah, somethings wrong. Let me fill you in.”
Dar focused her attention on driving, listening with half an ear as Kerry went through her speed dial list, thinking of all the things left undone at ILS that now she'd never get a chance to see happen.
At one level, it hurt. She knew she'd given as much as a human could be expected to give a job over the years and the abrupt release burned.
But now that was in the past, and her mind was already moving ahead, looking forward to the new challenges and the next phase of their lives since she'd already mentally accepted that change was coming.
Now, she was glad she'd spent all night fixing some dumbass problems in the datacenter. It was a completely acceptable way for her to end her tenure there, as she'd started it. No slacking, no compromise, just a job quietly well done. The company would go on, they'd find someone to take the spot, in fact maybe they already had, and everyone would settle down and accept it after a while.
A few people, notably Mayte and Maria, they'd take with them. They were family. But the rest would get over the shock, and maybe even take the opportunity for advancement. Maybe they would give Mark Kerry's job. Dar considered as she turned down the street where their possible office space was.
She nodded to herself. Might be good for everyone.
Kerry finally closed the phone. “Wow.” She said “She was kind of pissed.”
“At us?”
“No.”
“Oh. Well she's the VP of HR.” Dar said, reasonably. “They really should have told her before they told us.”
Kerry shook her head .”Anyway, she's going to send a note out. Duks was there. He didn't even want to talk to me.” She frowned. “Guess we ruined their Saturday.”
“We didn't do anything.” Dar reminded her. “Okay, this is the place.”
The phone in Kerry's hand rang, and she opened it. “Hello.. oh, hi Mark.” She glanced at Dar. “No, she's here. No.. yeah, no it's true.. “ She glanced at Dar. “Yeah, they just called us. What?” She listened for a long moment. “I was just about to call you. .I just got off the phone with Mari. No, we're going to have the laptops couri... oh, well, okay sure, that would be nice if you did that.”
“Going to come pick them up?” Dar mouthed.
Kerry nodded. “No we're not home right now we were out shopping. Dar got a new car and.. yeah, we're out near the Grove looking at some property... “ She paused. “No, not residential.” She paused again, and glanced at Dar. “Uh.. sure.. sure, we could meet you for dinner out here.”
Dar eyed her.
“Sure, Monty's on South Bayshore, in about an hour. See ya.” Kerry shut the phone. “He sounded pretty upset.” She said. “So I guess he wants to talk to us about it.”
“Uh huh.” Dar nodded. “I like Monty's.” She said. “C'mon, lets look at this place.”
“Yup, let's go.” Kerry got out and let Chino out of the back. Then she turned as Dar came up next to her. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Dar had her sunglasses on, but she removed them as she rested her elbow on Kerry's shoulder.
“I am sorry it had to end like that, sweetheart.” Kerry said. “It really isn't fair to you, to what you've done there, or how you lead us all to so many good results.”
Dar studied her in silence for a moment, filtered sunlight catching the odd mahogany highlight in her hair. “No.” She finally said. “It's not fair. But you know what? I'm glad.”
Kerry blinked in surprise. “Huh?”
“The last two months of this would have been one long drawn out never ending frustration. I don't like that I was fired, or you for that matter, but it's done.” Dar explained. “Let's move on.”
She draped her arm over Kerry's shoulders and looped Chino's leash over her hand, and they walked across the parking lot in thoughtful silence.
“I think we're going to need to sit outside.” Kerry said. “I'm not leaving Cheebles in the car.” She took the dogs leash and waited as Dar addressed the seating person outside Monty's restaurant. The sun was setting, and a brisk, cool wind was blowing off the bay, making her glad she'd turned the collar up on her jacket.
“C'mon.” Dar beckoned her, and they followed the host around the back to the deck, which was sparsely attended due to the weather. “They've got warmers back here.”
“Pfft.” Kerry was glad to take a seat in a relatively sheltered corner, as Chino sat down happily at her side, looking around with interest. “We're early.”
“Yeah.” Dar said. “Didn't take that long with the agent. That place had some definite pluses, but we'd need to do some reno to make it work for a tech company.”