Page 38 of Boardroom Sins

Instantly, I feel sick, same as I always do when I think about money these days. But I put on a good face for my brother. “Don’t worry about that, squirt.”

He still seems worried, though. “I overheard some guys saying it’s like fifteen grand a month. Is that true?”

I don’t answer. Which, as we both know, is itself an answer.

“God, Rae.” He runs a hand through his hair. It sticks up like loose straw. “That’s crazy. How are you even?—”

“I’m handling it.”

“With what money? Your job doesn’t pay that well! I know it doesn’t.”

“I got a raise with the new position,” I say. I still don’t meet his eyes.

“How much of a raise?”

I look at my hands. “Enough of one.”

“Rae.” His voice is sharper now. “Look at me.”

I do. His eyes are searching my face. Even when we were kids, he could always tell when I was lying.

“How much of your paycheck goes to this place?” he asks sternly.

“Most of it,” I admit in a meek whisper. “Almost all of it.”

“Fuck.” He drops his head into his hands. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not up to you.”

“This is crazy! You’re scraping by on nothing so I can sit here and do yoga and eat fancy salmon.”

I grab his wrist and squeeze. “Hey.Hey.Look at me.”

He lifts his head. His eyes are damp and shiny.

“This is what I want,” I tell him firmly. “You getting better—that’s all that matters to me. I can figure out the money stuff. I always do.”

“But—”

“No buts.” I squeeze harder so he can feel how much I mean what I’m saying. “Your job is to focus on getting healthy. That’s it. Let me worry about everything else. Okay?”

He stares at me. Then he exhales slowly. “Okay,” he says. “But let the record show that I hate it.”

“Noted, and ignored.” I release his wrist. “Now, tell me more about this snoring roommate. Should we smother him with a pillow?”

The drive back to Brooklyn is quieter than the drive up. The sky has gone gray, threatening rain. I turn on the radio just to fill the silence.

I’m about an hour from the city when my phone pings with an email notification. I wait until the next rest stop to check it, but when I do, I’m immediately puzzled.

It’s from Lazarev Global HR.

Annual Salary Review: Adjustment Notice

I frown. My annual review was last month.

I open the email and read it twice. Then a third time, just to be sure.

Dear Ms. Everett,