See Me(115)

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?”

“Actually, I said that it concerns the both of you. But yes, in the end, it concerns the firm as well.”

“I’m glad you came by, then,” he said, the drawl and syrupy cadence returning. “We just had a discussion with Maria about the false allegations, as I’m sure you’re aware, and I’m confident that Maria will do what’s right for all involved.”

“You shouldn’t be quite so confident,” Jill countered. “I wanted you two to be the first to know that Maria just informed me that Ken Martenson has been engaging in conduct that any jury would construe as sexual harassment and that she is strongly considering filing a report with the EEOC as a preliminary to filing her own lawsuit.”

“That’s not true!” Ken erupted, the first words Maria had heard him speak all day.

Jill turned toward him, her tone as even as before. “You told her she should try harder to be a team player. That having you in her corner could help her when she came up for partner. And then you groped her.”

“I did no such thing!”

“You touched her inappropriately, on her neck and chest.”

“I… I only touched her shoulder.”

“So you admit to touching her? And keeping your hands on her even though she clearly found it offensive?”

With her words, Ken realized it was probably better to shut his mouth, and he turned toward Barney. If Barney was angered by what Jill had said, he didn’t show it.

“Maria made no claim of sexual harassment in our meeting today, nor in fact has she ever said anything to me in all the months she’s been working here.”

“Why would she? She knew you’d cover for him. Just like before, when the other sexual harassment cases were settled.”

Barney drew a long breath. “I’m sure there’s been some sort of misunderstanding and we’ll be able to work this out amicably. There is no reason to resort to threats.”

“I haven’t resorted to threats. In fact, if anything, you should be thankful that we’re here so you aren’t surprised.”

“I am,” he agreed. “I do think we could discuss the matter more civilly if we take our seats. I would like to hear what Maria has to say.”

“I’m sure you would. We’ll let you read her statement in detail as soon as it’s filed. For now, I’ll speak for her.”

Ken’s eyes went wide, but Barney simply looked at Jill.

“You do understand that you can’t represent Maria for obvious conflict-of-interest reasons?”

“I’m here as her friend.”

“I’m not sure that makes a difference.”

“Then let’s start with this: Both Maria and I will be leaving the firm. We had no intention of informing you of that today, but considering that Maria can additionally make a case for retaliation, I thought it best to get it over with now.”