I'd been disgusted with every last person in that group for a long time. All they ever did was guilt-trip me. That was the full extent of their usefulness.
After hanging up, I thought for a moment, then called Mr. Lawson.
"Mr. Lawson, isn't the company looking to send someone overseas?"
"I'd like to volunteer."
There was a beat of surprised silence on the other end.
Before the holidays, he'd posted in the company chat asking if anyone was willing to help expand the business abroad after the break. At the time, hardly anyone had been interested. The world was unstable, and the assignment meant living overseas for several years. Even with higher pay and a promotion on the table, most people had turned it down.
I hadn't wanted to go either, originally.
But thinking about that circus of relatives, I realized that putting an ocean between us might be the best thing I could do for myself.
The moment that thought crystallized, I said yes without hesitation.
Mr. Lawson told me he'd take care of all the arrangements. When I mentioned I'd need to sell my apartment before leaving, he made a decision on the spot—the company would buy it outright and convert it into employee housing.