Chapter 7 Am I Too Much?
Camille twirled her fork in her food, her gaze distant as she absentmindedly pushed the meal around her plate. Her brothers flanked her on either side, their conversation blending into background noise. Normally, their conversations always drew her in, laughing along with them. But today, her thoughts were elsewhere.
A certain someone was weighing on her mind.
Her boss.
Holland had been on edge all morning, her presence radiating a sharp, unspoken tension that made every interaction feel like she was navigating a minefield. She was used to being sure of herself, moving through life with an easy confidence, but around Holland, that certainty wavered.
I mean, she had arrived early, followed every instruction to the letter, and done her best to stay out of the woman’s way. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, it felt like she was teetering on the edge of some invisible boundary, one wrong move away from setting the woman off. All morning, their exchanges had been clipped, impersonal with Holland’s words efficient but devoid of any warmth. It was as though she were just another item on an already overwhelming to-do list.
But, what had truly shocked her was the effortless way Holland had interacted with her older brother, their conversation flowing with the ease and cordiality. There had been laughter and an openness that Camille hadn’t once experienced in her own interactions with the woman.
Why? What was it about her that seemed to rub Holland the wrong way?
Holland had even turned down Daniel’s invitation to join them for a quick lunch, and that only deepened Camille’s unease. The tension refused to fade, clinging to her like a heavy cloak, tightening with every passing thought. Had she done something wrong? Said something out of place?
She replayed their conversations over and over, searching for any misstep, but nothing stood out. She had been nothing but polite. She wasn’t the type to rub people the wrong way. Her coworkers had been nice enough, so why did it feel like Holland barely tolerated her presence?
Her thoughts drifted back to the morning incident a few days back. Maybe it was about the coffee? Holland had paid for hers when she didn't have the money to. Could she really be holding onto something so small?
"I can pay her back like ten thousand times over," Camille muttered under her breath, exhaling sharply.
"Pay who?" Theo asked, snapping her out of her daze. He turned to her, brows raised in curiosity.
"It's nothing," Camille murmured, stabbing her food half-heartedly.
Her brothers weren’t buying it. She could feel their gazes pressing into her, waiting. She sighed, setting her fork down and finally looking up.
"Guys?" she asked hesitantly. "Do you think I’m unlikable?"
"Yes," Theo and Joshua answered in perfect unison.
Camille’s jaw dropped. She gaped at them before scowling. "Oh, bite me!" she shot back, stabbing her fork into her food with unnecessary force.
Theo smirked. "Nah, too much attitude. Probably tastes bitter."
Joshua snickered. "Yeah, like regret and bad decisions."
Camille gasped, dramatically clutching her chest. "Daniel! Tell them to stop! They’re bullying me!"
Daniel barely looked up from his plate. "Then stop making it so easy."
Camille groaned as her brothers laughed, shaking her head. "I should’ve been an only child."
"Yeah..."
"What makes you ask that?" Daniel asked cutting Theo off. Knowing her brother and sister they'd go on and on with no end in sight.
Camille sighed, pushing her plate away slightly. "It’s just that, I mean, I can make friends with anyone. I’m a good person. I’m kind. I work hard..."
Joshua snorted loudly with Theo outright laughing at Camille as he shook his head, bitting back another smart remark.
"You're really pushing it, Cami," Joshua teased.
Camille rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Josh."
"Hardworking?" Theo teased. "You whined for a full hour when Mom asked you to help with the groceries."
"That’s totally different and I helped, remember! Unlike some people," Camille argued.
At Daniel’s pointed look, Theo and Joshua quieted down, though they still wore matching smirks.
"Is someone at the office bothering you?" Daniel asked.
Camille huffed. "More like I’m giving them a hard time."
Joshua smirked. "Sounds about right."
"Shut. Up."
"Okay, okay," Theo grinned, nudging her playfully. "So, who is it?"
"My boss," Camille groaned, slumping forward and burying her face in her hands. "I think she hates me, and I don’t know why. I just met her today but she hates my guts."
At her revelation, the entire table burst out laughing, this time including Daniel.
"What? It’s not funny, guys! Stop laughing!" Camille cried, throwing her hands up. "You know, I've hard like a really... really had morning."
Theo was the first to recover, shaking his head. "Cam, don’t stress over it. Holland’s like that with everyone. She’s an amazing person, but she’s not exactly the warm and fuzzy type."
Daniel nodded in agreement. "She’s one of the best in the field. Tough, disciplined, no-nonsense. She expects a lot, but that’s because she’s worked hard to get where she is."
Joshua leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, she’s the kind of person who earns respect before she hands it out. But she’s brilliant at what she does."
Camille frowned. "So... so, it’s not me?"
Theo shook his head. "It’s probably just your personalities clashing. You’re used to people liking you right away. Maybe Holland isn’t one of those people."
Camille exhaled, rolling her shoulders. "Great. So what do I do?"
Daniel set down his fork, looking at her seriously. "Work hard. Prove yourself. Don’t try to force a connection, just focus on learning from her. Under her wing, you’ll grow, and over time, you two will figure each other out."
Camille let the words settle in her mind. It wasn’t the quick solution she wanted, but it was realistic. And deep down, she knew Daniel was right.
She nodded. "Alright. I’ll just keep doing my best and see how it goes."
"That’s the spirit, kiddo," Theo said, nudging his sister playfully.
Joshua smirked. "And if all else fails, just bribe her with coffee."
Camille groaned. "I might borrow that trick from you soon enough."
The tension in her chest loosened as the conversation shifted, her brothers launching into their usual banter. She laughed as she told them about her eventful morning, including how their mother had practically escorted her to work like a child on the first day of school.
Theo snickered. "Mom does know you’re an adult, right?"
"Does she, though?" Joshua teased.
Camille groaned. "Honestly, I think she was one step away from packing me a lunchbox."
The table erupted in laughter again, and for the first time since she left the office, Camille felt lighter. No matter what happened at work, she had her brothers. And that was more than enough.