Life Interrupted: When life has to pivot overnight; how will you navigate the uncertainty of what's next?

By Kelly Colón

Kelly Colón's debut novel, Life Interrupted, recounts the story of Abby & Claire, two women working for Marin Biotech; a life science company at the heart of the pandemic outbreak in Boston, Massachusetts.

When the news of the outbreak hits their company and the realization that their netw

• Language: English
• Publisher: New Degree Press
• Release date: Sep 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798885046848

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Life Interrupted…

Life Interrupted…

Kelly Colón

New Degree Press

Copyright © 2022 Kelly Colón

All rights reserved.

Life Interrupted…

ISBN

979-8-88504-568-1 Paperback

979-8-88504-893-4 Kindle Ebook

979-8-88504-684-8 Ebook

Book Dedication

To those who shared their stories with me. Who so willingly gave me their time, their space, and allowed me the honor and privilege to bear witness to their journeys—I will be forever grateful.

* * *

To my husband, who put up with endless nights and early mornings while I wrote until my fingers ached. Who begrudgingly humored me when I said, Can you listen to this one last page? Who never once doubted—I love you.

* * *

To my children, who inspire me each day to be better than I was the day before. Each of you is my inspiration, my muse, and the most incredible thing I will have ever created in my life. Know this—nothing is ever impossible.

* * *

To my coach, who was always in lockstep with me along the way. Who in my darkest moments of self-doubt reminded me of my purpose and gave me the confidence to keep going—I could never have done this without you.

To my fourth-grade pen pal—I have no words other than Thank You.

Contents

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

THE PIVOT POINT

CLAIRE – INTRODUCTION

ABBY – INTRODUCTION

THE PIVOT

DISRUPTION

CLAIRE – MISSED OPPORTUNITIES & SEPARATIONS

ABBY – SURPRISES & UNCERTAINTY

CLAIRE – THE JUGGLE IS REAL

ABBY – CHAOS & CONFUSION

CRISIS & CONFLICT

CLAIRE – ARGUMENTS & DISBELIEF

CLAIRE – SEEKING SOLIDARITY

ABBY – A NEW BEGINNING?

CLAIRE – NEW PRIORITIES

CLAIRE – DEATH LEADS TO OPPORTUNITIES

EMERGENCE

CLAIRE – TOGETHER AGAIN

CLAIRE – NEXT STEPS

ABBY – NAVIGATING LIFE

EVOLUTION

CLAIRE – A NEW ROLE

ABBY – A NEW LIFE

ABBY/CLAIRE – BUILDING NIRVANA

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Life Interrupted – Kelly Colón)

"The very fabric of what they once knew and built their lives upon has to be completely challenged and ripped apart only to be rebuilt again. There is no longer a divergence between what we do and who we are; the lines are now blurred, and our future success requires us to embrace this.

This is a story of perseverance, resilience, adaptability in the face of tremendous adversity and disruption."

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

In the fall of 2021, after a year and a half of pandemic restrictions, scares, and global unrest, I was meeting with a fellow faculty member on the quad of our Boston campus. Here we sat swapping stories over lunch. She confided in me the struggles she was having at work.

I sat intently listening, but what she shared just made my blood boil.

During this pandemic, feeling isolated and alone, she had turned to social media channels to connect, network, and find a place where she could share her ideas and thoughts with others. I was aware of this since I had enjoyed her content most days.

She began sharing her success stories; from gathering local attention to global contacts, she found something she was passionate about and a medium to share that passion. She was meeting virtually individuals globally she had never imagined was possible just three short years ago.

Just as quickly as her excitement came in sharing her newfound exposure, her entire demeanor shifted, and she leaned in as if she was going to tell me a secret. Her eyes squinted, and I could tell something big was coming.

She told me that leaders in her organization had begun first to counsel her on the content she was sharing on her personal channels and that it was not in alignment with company messaging. I thought this odd because her content was spot on and relevant for the time we were in—a pandemic.

She continued and told me they’d escalated their counseling to covert threats. They began to advise her if she didn’t revise her content to be more in alignment with what they demanded, her job and livelihood would be in jeopardy. She even told me they reminded her several times to not forget who wrote her paycheck.

At this point, my jaw open and eyes wide, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

She continued to tell me that when she didn’t comply, they simply retaliated in reprehensible ways. They began to advise her to come into the office weekly despite knowing her role was remote and client-facing. She felt they wanted her in the office to keep an eye on her because it was clear they didn’t trust or value her any longer. They excluded her from standing meetings she’d been a part of for years simply because she was the only employee remote. The list went on and on.

She was heartbroken. It was clear she loved her company; she had been there ten years but now she felt like a target. They were cold, they were cruel, they were threatening. She was not sleeping, she was not eating, her marriage and family were being negatively impacted, and she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to give in to them because deep down she felt she was right, but at the same time, she felt abandoned by the same people she only a few years ago called family.

I was left wondering how any organization would be so willing to allow someone like her to disengage. Someone with such talent and skill, someone who was beloved in her industry. I had a sick feeling in my stomach but reminded her that she should really do what is right for her, that no one should be left to feel that they cannot voice their beliefs; isn’t that what the First Amendment is for?

We parted ways, but I couldn’t shake this feeling of injustice and manipulation. I began to wonder if her story was an isolated story, or was there something bigger going on in this pandemic beyond just the virus?

I decided to test my theory and began to interview anyone willing to talk to me. I couldn’t believe it; after months and months of talking to people locally, nationally and globally over Zoom, over coffee, drinks, or lunch, 60 percent of those I spoke with shared overwhelmingly similar stories.

Many had significant concerns that their employers would not support what they needed and shared fears of voicing anything that went against company policies, instead simply staying silent and praying it would work, or worse yet, resigning altogether.

Others shared stories similar to my fellow professor where they voiced their opinions and needs which were immediately received with aggression and retaliation from their companies.

What I came to realize is that no matter whom I spoke with, there were many many unheard stories and significant unmet human needs; not just personal or professional needs, human needs. People were searching for something, anything, to help them navigate the pandemic, and for so many, it was without the support of their company. There was this universal us versus them mentality in the stories I listened to, and it was heartbreaking.

We are at an inflection point. Over two years into a global pandemic with variant cases continuing to rise, any sense of normal has been largely abandoned by many. Mandates, mask-wearing, and restrictions are still impacting the way we live, work, and play as humans.

Many have lost the will to power through because we don’t know when through is going to happen. Mental and emotional wellbeing is at stake, marriages are at stake, companies are at stake, and education is at stake – the very fabric of humanity is at a tipping point. People no longer have the stamina and are seeking ways to reprioritize their lives, taking into consideration factors that are more important now than they once were, things like work-life balance, flexibility, autonomy, and the like. Things designed to somehow redefine how we navigate a future many of us have no clear view of.

What once was, can no longer be, and understanding the impact this has on individuals, families, companies, and society will help us find ways to create a plausible path forward in an uncertain world.

I am professionally known as a disruptor. My full-time job is to find inefficiencies in organizations and identify ways to navigate through those challenges to meet operational objectives. More important than identifying issues and putting together solutions is to give a voice to what has been identified in an effort to try to negate repetition in the future.

As a professor, my role is to help students (and others) find their own voices. Give power to their thoughts and help them use that voice to make effective change. Given that, you can imagine how unsettling all these stories were for me.

I believe there are many stories out there of resilience, triumph, and success navigating global disruption. Fear has caused too many to remain silent in their struggles.

The purpose of this book is to bring to life themes of stories individuals so candidly shared with me. To give credence to the journeys they were on. To validate their struggles and their triumphs. To remind us all that sometimes even in the darkest, most uncertain times, the most beautiful things can emerge.

Here in Life Interrupted, the stage is an organization in the throes of the pandemic in historic Boston, Massachusetts. Quickly, however, you realize this book is less about the organization’s challenges and more about the employees, specifically about Abby and Claire, leaders within the organization.

Follow them as they navigate the impacts and responsibilities a global pandemic has on their lives, the lives of their family and friends, and their very livelihood. Watch as the fabric of what they once knew and built their lives upon has to be completely challenged and ripped apart, only to be rebuilt again. There is no longer a divergence between what we do and who we are; the lines are now blurred, and our future success requires us to embrace this.

This is a story of perseverance, resilience, and adaptability in the face of tremendous adversity and disruption.

PART I

THE PIVOT POINT

CHAPTER 1

CLAIRE – INTRODUCTION

Claire looked at her watch, her mind racing between all the have-to’s at work and the need-to’s at home. At two-thirty, the laundry list of operational tasks she’d mindfully crafted that morning over coffee barely had a few ticked off. Prioritization was never really a challenge for Claire; she was well aware of the endless needs her company had for someone in her role. Lately, however, it seemed no matter how much she focused, prioritized, or reviewed her to-dos, not only could she never accomplish more than a few tasks at work, the list at home was equally long and no less critical. No matter where she focused her attention, it was never enough, and at the end of most days, she cried herself to sleep wondering how she could possibly keep going.

This constant internal battle was not new to Claire. As the VP of Operations, Claire’s job was certainly not uncomplicated. As she leaned back in her chair and looked at the pictures on her office wall of her kids and her family, she let out a loud sigh and closed her eyes.

Knock, knock, sorry to interrupt, Claire’s intern broke her blissful silence.

Erin was a delightful person, a senior studying operations at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and had worked for Claire for her last two internships. Always eager to help no matter the task, Erin was destined to do great things and Claire took a real interest in her because, truth be told, Erin reminded Claire of herself at that age.

Erin did have her shortcomings, and Claire was trying to help her overcome them. Despite working together for over two years, Erin was still a little timid and genuinely unsure of herself.

Claire opened her eyes, let out a sigh, and looked at the door.

Erin repeated, I’m really sorry to interrupt, but we have an urgent matter you need to attend to.

This kind of interruption was not abnormal for Claire. Marin BioTech, the midsize biopharmaceutical company in Boston where she worked, never had a shortage of issues she needed to resolve on a given day. Claire chuckled when she glanced down at her endless task list and thought, Christ, this is why I never can get anything freaking done.

Instead, she looked up at Erin and replied, It’s fine, what’s up?

Did you see your email? I guess John has been trying to reach you for the last thirty minutes.

John who? John Chase, the CEO? Claire questioned, now a bit more alert and sitting up in her chair.

Yes, ma’am, the CEO. I guess he’s sent several emails and a text. When he didn’t reach you, he called my desk directly. There was a tone of concern in Erin’s voice that was not something Claire had noticed before.

Claire quickly looked at her cell phone, and sure enough, she saw three missed calls and six text messages: four from her boss, Adam, the COO, and two from John. How did I miss these?

Do you think there’s something we should be worried about? He really sounded concerned and the way he said it was an urgent matter was strange. Erin’s face looked distorted in the sunlight. She always took things a little too seriously; Claire chalked that up to her inexperience.

I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll take care of it. Let me look at my email, and I’ll respond to him.

No, ma’am, he was very clear. He said, ‘Send Claire up to my office right away.’ Erin was almost frantic.

Now Claire was concerned. Normally she loved to get in front of the executive team or the board of directors. Reporting to the COO, she rarely had those opportunities as they were typically reserved for him. On occasion, she would get the opportunity, and while they made her a little nervous, she was never anxious or concerned.

Then again, the CEO had never beckoned her directly before; now she was both concerned and anxious.

As Claire got up from her desk, Erin said, Do you want me to call Michael and tell him you’ll be late?

As she grabbed her blazer from the back of her chair, Claire looked over her shoulder. Oh god, don’t do that, I promised him and the girls I would be there tonight, I can’t be late again. I’m sure whatever is going on upstairs can be resolved by four-thirty.

With that, she closed her office door and walked to the elevator, pushed the button for the fifteenth floor, and tried to run through the laundry list of possible issues she was about to step into.

Claire got off the elevator and walked toward the CEO’s wing. She put her hand on his office door, took a deep breath, and joined the meeting that was clearly already in progress.

John’s office was very inviting. Warm colors and Boston sports memorabilia littered the walls. It felt like someone’s living room, not the CEO’s office. In one corner of the oversized office, a traditional mahogany desk stood with blood-red leather chairs in front of it. At first glance, it gave the impression of warmth, where conversation between friends, not business transactions, happened. Claire knew all too well that was not the case; some of the biggest negotiations and mergers had come from that setup in the corner of the office.

On the other side of the office stood two casual couches with a stunning marble coffee table in the middle. On the coffee table was the most beautiful intricate crystal decanter Claire had ever seen containing what she assumed was very expensive bourbon or Scotch.

Two TVs adorned the wall at the end of the office usually with either the stock market or a sports game on, often both at the same time. Today, however, there was no game, no analytics up on the screen. Today one screen had the news rolling and the other was queued up for a Zoom meeting that had not yet been launched.

John was staring out the windows pacing. Usually a very calm and collected person, he seemed out of sorts to Claire. She affectionately referred to him as the Movie Star and thought he was sexy as fuck but also insanely intimidating. He was taller than her husband by about four inches, and he had a full head of curly blond hair that twirled up at his neck. His turquoise-blue eyes had a softness to them that had all the interns at Marin BioTech drooling. He was very athletic and didn’t seem to have an ounce of fat on him.

What struck Claire as she watched him pacing was the glass in his hand. She had never once seen him with a drink in his hand, not at dinner parties or company events, not even at sporting events, and certainly not at three in the afternoon.

Claire started to walk toward the couch and noticed the CFO sitting there with his head buried in his laptop, almost ignorant of John’s pacing. Dan Davis had joined Marin BioTech just fifteen months ago. His background was impressive. He had been the CFO for three other life science companies before joining Marin, and each had seen massive financial and business success under his leadership. He was, however, elusive and almost reminded Claire of a monk in Tibet. She chuckled under her breath at the image of Dan as a monk.

Unlike the charm, charisma, and sex appeal found in John or the stern overt power of Claire’s boss, Adam, Dan was a very lean, very tall man with the biggest hands and feet she had ever seen. The tallest in the executive team by half a foot, he made John look short and often appeared out of place in company pictures. He had jet-black hair that he kept short, tight, and slicked backed, which reminded Claire of a military buzz cut. His eyes were the darkest brown Claire had ever seen, almost black, and he rarely looked others directly in the eye. Dan was quiet, reserved, and preferred isolation to human company. He was, however, a human calculator, and despite the assumption that he was not engaged, he was usually well aware of what was going on and had an uncanny way of predicting the financial impact of decisions down to the smallest decimal.

Next to Dan sat Shelly, the CEO’s admin. At fifty-five years old, Shelly was thirteen years older than John and with her petite status was easily a foot shorter than him. Shelly was acutely aware and watching John pace by the windows muttering incoherently under his breath. With a pen and pad in hand, she sat at the ready, waiting for whatever directive John had coming.

Welcome, Claire, glad you could finally join us, John said without turning, his tone uncharacteristically snarky. Please take a seat while we wait for the others, and feel free to pour yourself a drink; glasses are on the table.

She barely had a chance to respond when he continued, Shelly, pour Claire a glass of bourbon, will you? As Shelly started to put the pen and paper down to reach for the drink, Claire quickly responded.

Sorry, sir, but I don’t really drink bourbon. Besides, I have my water with me. She pointed at her water bottle always in tow.

Well, you may want to become a bourbon lover after today. I think we’ll all need a drink soon, said John.

Sorry, sir, I don’t follow. Is there something I should be aware of? Claire asked.

Before he could answer, Abby,