I Was Never Part of the Squad

I, Anna Harmon, had just finished replying to Rose Wilson when a private message from my boyfriend, Julian Dickson, popped up.

"You got laid off today, right? Since you're free anyway, do me a favor and pick up the cake on your way there."

I stared at that message for a long time without moving. He knew I'd been laid off, but he didn't ask if I'd cried or what I'd do next.

In his eyes, I'd simply ended up with some unexpected free time.

I set my phone face-down on the table and sat there for a few minutes. But after a while, I still got up and headed out.

At the bakery, the staff checked my order number before handing me a white gift box.

"It's a strawberry shortcake, with a congratulatory card for a promotion inside. Could you check that everything's correct?"

I opened the box and looked inside. The card read, "Emmie, wishing you a bright future and even greater success in your career."

I tucked the card back, picked up the cake, and headed to the riverside restaurant. When I opened the door to the private room, I found Emily Piper clinging to Julian's arm, mid-conversation.

"Anna, you're here!"

With a smile, she got up, saying, "Thanks for going out of your way to get it."

"No problem."

I set the cake down by the wall.

Julian barely glanced at it, then pulled out the chair next to him. "Let's eat first. We'll cut the cake later."

Once I sat down, the servers started bringing out the food. Emily's promotion was the only thing anyone talked about throughout dinner.

When she mentioned her new office was on the 26th floor with a river view, Julian immediately asked if she needed new blackout curtains.

When she mentioned that her neck and shoulders had been aching lately, Francis Loomis set down his utensils. "I'll take you for physiotherapy on Saturday. I happen to know a good place."

Henry Parsons picked the cilantro off her plate. "Don't eat that. Cilantro always upsets your stomach."

The three of them took turns doting on Emily, making sure she was taken care of in every possible way. With my fork in hand, I tried several times to get a word in. "Today, I—"

Emily's phone rang, and she looked down to reply to a message.

Julian asked her, "Are the people in your new department easy to get along with?"

Just like that, the conversation moved on. I picked up a piece of fish and ate it slowly.

After the meal, Julian brought out a gift box from beside his chair. "Emmie, congrats on the promotion."

Emily opened the box to find a platinum necklace inside. "Is this the one I was looking at in the mall last time?"

"You went back to look at it three whole times."

Francis handed her a massage device. "Use this for 15 minutes every night. Don't skip it just because you can't be bothered."

Henry brought out a bottle of perfume. "You said you liked woody notes. I had to check several stores before I found this one."

Emily covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling with delight. "You all remembered?"

Julian flashed her a smile. "Of course we'd remember. It's you we're talking about."

I dropped my gaze. When I got promoted last year, I'd shared the news in this same group chat.

Julian said we'd celebrate another day, Francis sent a clapping emoji, and Henry said we'd talk more that evening.

Later, when Emily mentioned that her stomach hurt, everyone spent half the evening fussing over her. And just like that, the celebration was never mentioned again.

Suddenly, Julian shoved his phone into my hand. "Anna, take a picture of us. Hurry, the candles are almost ready."

With the phone in hand, I walked over to the other side of the private room. Once the candles were lit, Emily stood in the middle, with Julian and the other two gathered around her.

I snapped the picture. After looking at the photo, Emily waved me over. "Anna, you should come over here too. Let's take one with all five of us next."

I had barely taken a step when Julian spoke up. "Let's take your pictures first, Emmie. The candles are about to go out. We'll take one with all five of us later."

I stopped where I stood. After that, they cut the cake, opened the gifts, and posted the pictures on social media. Not one of them mentioned that group photo again.