JADED CHOYCE

By SHAYNUH SLOANE

Jaded Choyce is a gripping novel that follows the story of a determined urban professional on a mission to make a better life for herself and her family. With a clear plan to achieve her professional goals, Chloe embarks on a new career path that she hopes will lead her to the top of the organizational ladder. 

However, sh

• Language: English
• Publisher: BTVNTE Publishing
• Release date: Sep 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781087973593

SHAYNUH SLOANE

Shaynuh Sloane is a talented writer and native of Washington, DC, whose passion for writing was ignited at a young age. Drawing on personal and professional experiences, Sloane has emerged as a leading advocate for domestic violence prevention and personal wellness. Through her writing and work, she empowers women to demand their personal and professional freedom, while rejecting archaic narratives that perpetuate harmful stereotypes and limit individual potential. Sloane's fearless approach to advocacy has inspired countless individuals to take action and demand a better, more equal world for all. Whether crafting powerful stories or using her voice to effect change, Shaynuh Sloane is a true force for good in the world of literature and beyond.

Book preview

1

The ambiance in the Nation’s Capital was filled with uncertainty as the corruption within the Congress dominated the fear of instability for America’s public servants. With the federal shutdown on the rise and 2018 only a week away, stepping out this morning felt colder than usual. Looking in my rearview mirror to check the status of my NARS foundation coverage for my pecan complexioned skin, I kept a steady twenty-five miles heading down the empty pathway on Connecticut Avenue as I fixed the black lenses on my face. As I pulled up to the parking garage entrance to the Ronald Reagan Building, I was approached by the entry gateway security officer on duty who asked me for my credentials so I could gain access into the building.

Nice car, he complimented as I pulled my C-Class Sedan up to the barrier gate.

Thanks, I said as I brought my car to a complete stop, hitting the park option on the lever.

Mercedes? he asked as he chewed on his gum while I opened the black Marc Jacobs tote bag I bought a week ago to celebrate my professional transition set for a few weeks away.

C Class, I responded while I went into a manhunt within my purse for my credentials to gain access to the building. Got it!

The feeling of relief came over me as I pulled the badge holder from my bag and gave it to him. I always feared coming to the gate and not having my credentials because there was always a chance that something would go wrong, especially when you had a line of cars behind you honking, as you sat there in embarrassment because you can’t find your badge.

Okay, Ms. Chloe Choyce. Just know you are coming in during the shutdown is giving you more space to park. Go on in, he remarked as he scanned my badge while waving at the set of physically fit men towards the second barrier entrance.

Thanks…I had a feeling, I said as I pressed the up icon on my power window button as I drifted to the next barrier, waiting for the bar to rise slowly. I rechecked my makeup in the mirror, pressing my lips together to assure that the application of my poppy red lipstick was in place and that my glasses were upright on my face.

He was right. There was no one dumb enough to go into the city (let alone work) as there was no agreement on the congressional budget. I was going in for my own purposes, however. Yes, I did not have to be here, but I had to get this out of the way so I could leave what I considered to be one of the most toxic work environments in the world. I could have just left without the need to do any more, but I needed to escape from what should have been one of the best experiences as a new federal employee within the DMV but ended as an unexpected, forced resignation from a severely corrupt management team who had a vendetta against brown skinned women...especially smart ones like myself. It was already painful enough to see that the administration was a circus tainted with media chasing buffoons. I was already losing my mind, my sense of self, but worse than that – my integrity.

For years, being a federal employee was seen as a hidden gem in the DC Metropolitan Area because it was difficult to get into. But if you did, you were set for life in terms of stable income, stellar healthcare benefits, and household stability. As a single parent of a set of Irish Twins, it was a dream of mine to land a federal government position for the work-life balance, as I am also completing my undergraduate degree at the University of Maryland College Park, and I needed the healthcare benefits as a single parent to two. I remember how excited I was when I first received my offer letter as Project Manager with The Department of Currency. I needed something to make me feel good and whole again after my failed six-year marriage. Truthfully, there was not much I wanted from the divorce beyond my kids keeping his name and my maiden name being restored. After all the lying, cheating, late night phone calls, and fabricated stories of going on tour when he was dallying into extramarital affairs, I became desperate.

It was not until I attended an on campus federal career job fair that I was introduced to a Schedule A coordinator who introduced me to the federal hiring program for people with disabilities and former military spouses as codified in Title 5 of the United States Code of Regulations under Section 213.3102(u). Surviving physical and mental marital abuse resulted in a clinical diagnosis of severe depression and anxiety which then led to years of weekly therapy sessions. !ll while I tried to manage and maneuver through the crazy day-to-day struggles of being an involuntarily single parent to two kids. Therefore, I did not hesitate to submit my resume for the program which required me to submit a general letter of confirmation from my doctor. After two months of job hunting and traversing through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Schedule A hiring portal, I finally got a chance to interview for the Department of Currency.

In fact, I was hired on the day after the inauguration of one of the most controversial presidents, which was poignant as I had hope in my heart as I looked forward to being a part of an administration of pertinent change. My first week with the agency went well...until the political appointee for my office arrived and was assigned as my supervisor. Everything immediately took a turn for the worse.

Carlito initially showed his true colors with tactics of intimidation, deceit, isolation, and managerial insidiousness. Within four months, I began to vacillate about myself as I lost confidence in my work, even after receiving accolades from the agency for my success in project management.

Is this in your job description? I remember one of my colleagues asking when venting to her at lunch one day about how consuming my work was becoming to my health and my personal life.

Eventually, it got worse as senior leadership turnover rose over the course of the past year, since the start of the new administration a year ago.

This is one of the reasons why I had to finish this on my terms, the one thing I had control over. Coincidentally, when I chose to submit my resignation letter, my supervisor, Carlito, offered to pay me until my last day with the option to not come into the office. Accepting his counteroffer was no problem, I just wanted out of it all. Considering my mental health, children, and yearning for a new opportunity – I took the next job without reservation and was looking forward to my new life in a non-toxic work environment.

Walking into the Ronald Reagan Building, I was greeted by my second set of security officers, presenting myself in the same manner in my black daisy pumps as I previously did to get into the garage with my vehicle. The Reagan Building was one of the few that was created with great architectural design while enhancing the construct beauty of the government. The walls consisted of Indiana limestone that parlayed conservative yet sober even in the midst of the saga of the Federal Triangle. The common areas were shared by several government and commercial offices dealing with international trade, including mine.

As I headed towards the tunnel into my agency, I was greeting my third set of security officers, who were less of a hassle in confirming my credentials since I was actually familiar with one of them.

They got you working today, Ms. Choyce? one of the other officers, Byron, asked as I grabbed my tote from the scanner belt. I knew him well, since he was the main guard that helped me get badged in on my first week of working here, after the inauguration. This being the exact day and year afterwards, he’s the same person to see me going out.

Transitioning, I responded hoping my answer would suffice, as I walked towards the elevator pressing the up button to get to the fifth floor.

Good luck! Both men shouted back to me as I walked onto the elevator doors opened for me.

"Too late for luck," I mumbled as I got on the elevator and pressed the button to get to my anticipated destination. Time was of the essence with the quagmire going on in Congress, so I knew I needed to have my ducks in a row before I could make my next move.

My phone began to ring as soon as the elevator doors closed to head up to my floor, adding to my anxiety. Looking at my screen, I pressed ignore, hoping that the message relayed would happen when I arrived.

Are you in the office?

Even through a text message, Carlito sounded so cold when asking me this question. The thought of him made my stomach churn as I stood there passing the floors and contemplated responding in a simple, precise manner. I was so used to being so detail oriented that I forgot what it meant to just be normal and carefree. As my workload got heavier, so did my reporting requirements, which consisted of me creating a list of every single thing that I did throughout the day as requested by my 29-year-old political appointee and 45-year-old federal supervisor.

Here I responded, as I pushed up my lenses to my face. I was eager to execute my exit strategy so I may leave in peace without worrying about what was to come. Almost felt like initiating a breakup from a toxic relationship or setting boundaries with the messed up side of your family or better yet, how I got out of my 6-year abusive marriage. Being able to disappear was nothing new to me, it was just something I understood from