Jill laughed. “Like I said. Way smarter than Ken. Okay, but back to the meeting you had with Barney and Ken, our illustrious leader. So Barney asked you to sign and you essentially told him that you’d think about it.”
Maria’s jaw dropped. “How could you know what I said?”
“Because I know Barney. He’s a master at masking the obvious, showing how his side is the righteous one, and then mixing in a dollop of guilt, in case you’re still wavering. It’s important for you to put all that aside and think about what actually happened. And by the way, what did happen?”
Maria then offered a recap of the conference – to which Jill didn’t raise an eyebrow – but when she told her about the subsequent encounters, Jill went stony.
“Hold on,” she said. “It’s one thing to offer the ‘my wife doesn’t understand me’ tale, but you’re saying he actually touched your chest?”
“Well, my collarbone… or maybe just below. He didn’t —”
“But his intent was obvious to you? And he wanted to have lunch and discuss being more of a ‘team player’?”
“Yes. But I stopped it from going any further… He didn’t —”
“Come with me,” Jill said, reaching for the doorknob.
“Where are we going?”
“To see Barney and Ken.”
“Let’s just let it go… I’m leaving anyway. And he didn’t actually touch my breast or anything…”
“Well, Barney doesn’t know the details. And I’m sure that the meeting wasn’t only about trying to protect the firm; it was also intended to keep you from joining the other women and filing with the EEOC.”
Maria shook her head. “I’m not going to file.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to?”
Maria thought about Barney and the other employees of the firm. Ken’s attentions had been awful and had caused her stress, but to her mind, simply putting it all behind her and moving on was a far more appealing option than pursuing the matter further.
“Yes, I’m sure. I’m leaving anyway.”
“But don’t you think Ken should be held accountable? At least a little? For all the stress he caused you?”
“I guess. But like I said, I don’t want to go to the EEOC.”
Jill smiled. “They don’t know that.”
“What are you going to say?”
“Exactly what should be said. And whatever you do, let me do all the talking. Don’t say a word.”
Before she even realized what was happening, Jill was marching toward Barney’s office, Maria racing just to keep up with her. Barney’s door was closed, but that didn’t deter Jill in the slightest.
Barney and Ken, occupying the same seats they’d been in only minutes earlier, were startled by Jill’s sudden appearance.
“What’s going on? We’re in a meeting —” Barney began, but Jill strode into the office, Maria right behind her.
“Would you mind closing the door, Maria?” Jill’s voice was steady and professional, but determined. Maria realized she’d never heard her like this.
“Did you hear me, Jill?” Barney asked.
“I think you need to hear me.”
“We’re supposed to interview another paralegal in five minutes.”
“Tell her that she’s going to have to wait. You’ll want to hear what I have to say. It’s about the lawsuit and it concerns both of you.”
Ken remained silent and Maria watched as he paled. Barney stared at her before finally reaching for his phone; Maria listened as he did as Jill instructed. After hanging up the phone, he stood from his seat. “Let me bring over the chair from the window —” he began, but Jill shook her head sharply.
“We’ll stand,” she said.
If Ken didn’t understand what that meant, there was no question in Maria’s mind that Barney did. She saw an ever-so-slight lifting of his eyebrows and assumed he was doing some rapid mental calculations. Most people would likely have taken their seat again, but Barney understood the value of maintaining eye level, even if Ken did not. He stood straighter.
“You said this matter concerns the firm?”