“Hey, hey, what are you doing?”

“I’m quitting, Kate,” Tina replies with a smile as she thinks of Bette. She would rather look for a new career instead of taking her bullshit. There are millions of producers and directors, that would love to have her aboard their team. The pay was shitty anyway.

“Don’t be crazy, Tina. I can’t have you quitting on me now. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us.”

“I don’t think so, Kate. What you’re feeding me is bullshit. And bullshit is something I can’t tolerate. Just a second ago, you made it seem like you could do without me and if I couldn’t comply with your demands, that you’d let me go for sure. And now you’re suddenly having a fucking change of heart once you see me tossing my loose items into this fucking FEDEX box. The joke’s on you, Kate.”

“Tina, wait!” Kate says, placing her hands on top of Tina’s. The blond moves her hand away from Kate’s and places them by her side. She was heated and Kate was two seconds away from being backslapped.

“What Kate? What could you possibly say to make everything alright?” Tina asked with her hands on her waist.

“A ten percent increase in your pay, Tina.”

“Ten percent?” Tina laughs to herself and tosses more things into the box. This made Kate more nervous. Tina wasn’t trying to bend and she knew she better come up with something she would agree to, before Tina was out the office and out of her life, forever.

“Fine! I’ll double it. How about twenty percent?”

“No can do,” Tina replies, adding more items. The box was half way full and she didn’t have much more to add to the brown box with the blue FEDEX logo.

“Fine! Fifty percent, and that’s all.” Kate says, locking eyes with the blond. Tina thought about it and shook her head from side to side.

“Did I mention that I was a parent? I can’t provide for my child off that bullshit salary.”

“Fine! Seventy-five percent, Tina. And that’s final.”

“Ninety-five percent and I’ll stay,” Tina suggest. That would bring her out of the financial binds she’s in and then she’ll be able to put Angelica in that expensive school Bette was talking about. She’ll be able to buy a car and then some. It was excellent for her. Better yet, it was off the charts. She’ll be able to toss some in the bank and even plan for a future vacation, once she quits working for Kate. The idea was exceptional. She smiles as she thinks about it.