The Promise of Change

Chapter 4



Sarah plastered what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face. She and the other attorneys were gathered around the conference table for their first meeting with the Bitchkrieg, er, Patricia. She had to stop thinking of her nickname. One of these days it was going to slip.

So far, Sarah had not shared her specific encounters with the B— or rather, Patricia, only that they went to law school together. Sarah glanced around the table. They all shifted nervously in their seats, not making eye contact with one another.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere in the office that made everyone twitchy. When Sarah had walked in this morning, all of the administrative staff sat quietly at their desks. There’d been no laughter, no chit-chat around the coffee pot, and their hesitant ‘good mornings’ were barely audible.

Amazing. Patricia had barely been in the office more than an hour, and like the vampire she was, had already sucked the life out of it.

The office had a good group of lawyers. Ken hired well. They’d all gotten along, worked well together. Most of them had served their time in private practice before coming in-house and really appreciated the more relaxed environment.

It was a shame. She was sure the office dynamics were going to change. And the ill-wind bringing that change blew into the room, bringing a decided chill with her.

Patricia stood at the head of the table, her well-manicured fingertips touching the surface, as she surveyed the room with an authoritarian air. She was tall, well-over five-nine, probably topping out at six foot in her stilettos, and lean.

Her long brown hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail that hung like a curtain down her back. Sharply-lined gray catlike eyes that could cut through your defenses like a diamond through glass stared out at the group.

At first glance, some would say she was beautiful, sexy even, in a dominatrix sort of way. But upon closer inspection, they would discover the hard set of her mouth, the cold steel of her eyes, the icy exterior that protected a heart of stone. “Good morning.”

Patricia’s brow creased at the mumbled good mornings in response.

“I’m sure you’re all aware of who I am, so I won’t go into a lengthy presentation of my credentials, other than to say that I believe you will find me quite capable of running this office in an efficient and professional manner.”

Patricia caught the eyes of each attorney in turn, and in turn, each looked away before she did. After all, everyone instinctively knew the consequences of looking into the face of Medusa.

Sarah held her gaze longest. As difficult as that was, she knew the best way to deal with a bully was head on. One of the many things her father taught her.

“Why don’t we go around the table, and you can introduce yourselves? Of course I’ve reviewed your CV’s and personnel files, but I’d like to hear from you. Sarah, let’s start with you.”

Sarah introduced herself, but Patricia occasionally interrupted her with anecdotes regarding their law school days.

Katie Butler, Ken’s newest hire, came next. Young and pretty, she’d joined the office almost a year ago, passing up a partnership opportunity with a large law firm in D.C. Her sweet, soft-spoken manner would likely make her a target for Patricia’s predatory instincts, like a lion stalking an ailing antelope.

“Katie, I seem to recall that you lost your last case with your firm. Is that why you left?” Patricia skewered her with her piercing gaze.

“I—” Katie blushed, looked around the room, swallowed. “It was a very difficult case. The partners knew going in that the odds were against the client.”

“Still, I’ve read the facts of the case, and I’m sure I could have scored a win.” Her blood-red lips turned up into a smirk.

Some people never change, Sarah thought. Patricia was still the snide little narcissistic bitch she was in law school. Poor Katie. She’d have to take her out for drinks after work, soothe her wounded pride.

“Let’s hope we don’t have any repeats of that performance.” Patricia turned her cold gray eyes to Steve.

Steve Conrad joined two years earlier. He closed his private practice of more than twenty-five years in the hopes of slowing down. He worked hard, but the current position gave him ample time to spend with his grandkids. Who could blame him? Apparently Patricia could.

“Steve, I’m surprised you didn’t retire after you sold your practice, rather than taking this job so you could just skate toward retirement.” She arched a brow at him before moving on, not giving him an opportunity to respond.

The most senior person in the office besides Sarah was Kim Chang. She came from another larger health system about nine years ago when that health system got swallowed up by an even larger health system.

“It must have been difficult losing your job in the restructuring. But we all can’t be success stories, right?”

The introductions out of the way and with everyone already on their guard, Patricia continued the meeting by handing out voluminous documents detailing her plans for change.

Sarah stifled a groan. She hated change.



“Nice to know some things never change.” Becca slipped on a supple pair of ballet flats. “The shoe department at Neiman’s has always, and ever will be, an oasis for those in need of intense retail therapy.”

After Sarah’s first week with the Queen of the Bitches, Ann and Becca hauled their friend to Atlanta for a girls’ weekend. A little champagne, a lot of shopping, some soothing spa treatments, and a luxurious hotel suite. Who could ask for more?

But Sarah wasn’t feeling it, despite the strappy red sandals she had on her feet.

“Some people never change, either,” Sarah muttered to herself.

“What did you say?” Ann asked as she dropped into a chair, surrounded by a profusion of shopping bags. “Still grousing about the Bitchkrieg?”

“You’d think someone would have performed a bitchorcism on her by now.” Becca handed the shoebox back to the sales clerk. “Do you have these in a seven-and-a-half?”

“She’s beyond help. You can’t exorcise the devil from the devil incarnate,” Sarah said, sitting back in her seat. She gave up on the shoes. Even they weren’t lifting her mood after her week from hell.

Despite their history, Patricia seemed to have glommed on to Sarah like she was her new BFF. Probably just to torture her.

“The things she said to Katie were inexcusable,” Ann said. “Ooh. Look at these.” Ann leaned down and snatched up the recently discarded red sandals.

“That’s just the half of it. The way she ranted about how the office had been run by the previous general counsel, not even calling him by name, like we didn’t know who she was talking about.”

“How rude,” Ann interjected, as she slipped the sandals onto her feet.

“Not to mention unprofessional,” Becca added.

“Anyway, she said she was working on a new organizational structure for the office, and that as a result there would be some personnel changes.”

“Oh boy.” The clerk returned with the size Becca needed. “What do you think that means?”

“Do you think she’s going to fire people?” Ann asked, eyes wide.

“Who knows. But the new structure looks like a multi-tiered bureaucratic nightmare guaranteed to bring the efficiency of the office to a grinding halt.” Sarah paced the shoe department as she spoke, arms flailing. “She pulled out a process map that even computer engineers from M.I.T. couldn’t read. I’m telling you, she’s a classic case of narcissistic personality disorder, possibly with compensatory tendencies. ”

“Sarah, honey, sit down.” Ann pulled her down to the seat next to her. “You’re starting to draw attention.”

“I mean, what general counsel’s office uses a process map?” Sarah sat, but her diatribe continued.

At Sarah’s unremitting rant, Ann and Becca looked at one another. “I think this calls for an intervention,” Ann said, as she put the sandals back in the box.

“You know what I think we should do? Something really decadent. Let’s go have lunch, accompanied by copious amounts of champagne,” Becca said, as she grabbed her bags.

“And chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate,” Ann added, pulling Sarah to her feet. “It’s a matter of life or death.”