Chapter 11 - The Shift in the Atmosphere

When Emma walked through the employee entrance the next morning, the atmosphere was completely unrecognizable.

Usually, the morning shift was a chaotic blur of tired workers ignoring each other, clocking in, and avoiding management. Today, as Emma swiped her ID card, a sudden hush fell over the breakroom. Every head turned to look at her.

"Morning, Emma," whispered Sarah, a veteran housekeeper who hadn't spoken more than two words to her in three years.

"Good morning," Emma replied nervously, grabbing her uniform from her locker.

As she walked toward the service elevator, Mr. Harrison intercepted her. Emma braced herself, waiting for the inevitable reprimand or the quiet termination she had predicted.

Instead, the usually red-faced, screaming manager looked absolutely terrified. He approached her as if she were made of unexploded dynamite.

"Emma," Mr. Harrison squeaked, clearing his throat nervously. "Good morning. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Harrison," Emma replied carefully.

"Excellent. Wonderful," he stammered, wringing his hands together. "Listen, you won't be needing your cleaning cart today. In fact, you won't be assigned to the twelfth floor at all."

Emma's stomach dropped. Here it comes, she thought. He's firing me.

"Instead," Harrison continued, visibly sweating, "Mr. Lawson’s executive assistant called down this morning. You have been formally summoned to the penthouse suite. They are expecting you at exactly 9:00 AM."

Emma stared at him, her heart skipping a beat. The penthouse. No employee went to the penthouse unless they were hand-picked for elite service, or they were in massive, catastrophic trouble.

"Am I in trouble?" Emma asked.

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"Trouble?" Harrison forced a laugh that sounded completely unhinged. "Emma, you are the most protected person in this entire zip code right now. Just... please put in a good word for me? Remind them I've always been fair to you?"

Emma walked away, utterly bewildered, leaving the terrified manager shrinking in the hallway.