the book in the break room
Jon had insisted he was fine when Tim, Sasha and Martin went for their lunch breaks. He said something about ‘making up for his allergy attack’ though all four of them knew it wasn’t allergies. But if Jon wanted to hide whatever that was, he was a grown man and could make his choices. Least Sasha wasn’t going to force it out of him.
When she returned with the boys, her first stop was the breakroom to pack away the extras she’d gotten at lunch to be her dinner tonight. Reheated pasta wasn’t the ideal dinner, but seeing as she didn’t feel like stocking her fridge till tomorrow after work, it would do.
On the break room table, there was a book. It looked far too colorful. The cover a garish yellow with horrible multicolored letters that read ‘So you are a Boss now, tips for building a happy workplace’ across the cover. It looked new, save for the cover being a little beaten up and a few tabs of torn post-its peaking out from multiple locations. Like bookmarks one might use when studying for a test.
Curiously, Sasha opened up the book to one of the marked pages, which appeared to be holding the place of a section called ‘how to bond with employees’ with a list that had things like bring donuts, have casual Fridays, be interested in coworkers' hobbies. There were notes, written in what she recognized as Jon’s handwriting.
She let out a laugh as she read the comment next to bring donuts that read ‘find out if they even like those. Maybe muffins cause I dislike donuts?’ like Jon was criticizing the book.
Tim poked his head in, “What’s funny?” then his eyes seemed to lock onto the book in Sasha’s hands. “Whaaat is that?” She held up the book so Tim could read it.
Tim suddenly couldn’t breathe. His laughter was far more than it had any right to be, but he knows without a doubt that it was Jon’s. He’d seen how Jon would use tabs when researching something. Jon didn’t use a notebook for notes until he had all the information, so any book he was in the middle of using would look like what Sasha held in her hands.
“He’s been - Studying how to boss???” Tim finally got out. That is so like Jon in Tim’s mind, and Sasha couldn't help feel a little spark of joy that Jon was trying. Sure she was minorly frustrated that Jon got the promotion, but this book spoke volumes.
Tim made grabby hands to Sasha. “Lemmie see that!” Once it was in Tim's hands, he started flipping through it.
“He musta been working on this through the night for last few days? It’s only been since Tuesday he’d known about the promotion. Plus with how detailed what he went over this morning, when did he sleep?” Tim let out a little whistle. He was impressed with Jon for trying.
The book was, well, terrible. It was one of those books that would have useless full blank pages just to make the page count increase rather than add any real information. Jon had left notes all over it, some voicing points he liked or thought were dumb. There was occasionally an eye drawn in some of the blank spaces of the more wordy pages.
Sasha’d been looking over Tim’s shoulder reading it with him. “Check this point out. ‘Make sure to give compliments and the beginning and end of each review session.’ and his note after it.” Sasha went into an official-sounding Jon sounding voice. “Unrealistic. Compliments should be earned not given.”
There was a small gasp from the doorway. Tim and Sasha looked up to find a mortified Jon holding an empty mug staring at them. Then down to the book. And he walked away without blinking or anything.
Tim hands it back to chase after Jon. “Boooss, I saw your notes. I like Blueberry muffins. If you get the mini ones, I can fit 5 in my mouth at once!”
Jon can be heard muffled but not actual words Sasha could pick out from the breakroom. She smiled and walked out holding it. “I’m more of a fan of cinnamon myself, if you are asking.”
Jon looked over, he looked like he wanted to die.
Tim was in his space, well as in Jon’s space as he knew was safely allowed by Jon. “Nothing to be embarrassed about, Boss. It’s probably only the worst most cursed self-help book-” Tim lost his straight face and chuckled as Jon stormed into his office.
“We all have work to do. We can. Ah, Talk later.” And the office door closed.
Tim leaned on Martin’s desk grinning. “Check this out. Sasha, we gotta share your find with him!”
---
Jon was... He was expecting that. It went as planned. The worst book he could find, leaving it so he wouldn’t even need to act his terror when they discovered it. Causally leaving the book there like he had forgotten it over break. It was worse but perfect. Their grins, their joking. They had no idea they were trapped yet. This was just a paycheck for them at the moment.
Well, not exactly, since Tim still has his agenda. But basically. They feel safe here still.
Jon would keep it that way.