Fired

My son had been sick for a week, and it was my first day back at work. I deposited him at daycare and drove to the office. I walked to my cubicle ready to start digging out of the backlog of work, where my boss met me.

She asked me to follow her to her office, where she promptly informed me that I was being fired. I must've looked shocked, because the look on her face turned to concern, she told me to have a seat. I sat down one of the two matching leather chairs and stared at her. "We just can't afford to have employees who can't be here every day, " she said condescendingly, as I wondered how I'd make next month's car payment.