Chapter 25
Summary
- Nisha enters the offices of Uberprint, blending in easily as she passes through to the main office.
- The office is dull and reminds Nisha of a place that would sell pet insurance or drain cleaners.
- She locates the woman responsible for stealing her shoes, who is sitting in a cubicle with dyed hair.
- Nisha confronts the woman, accusing her of stealing shoes and a Chanel jacket from the gym.
- The alleged thief, clearly terrified, denies intentional theft, insisting it was an accidental mix-up with gym bags.
- A crowd gathers around the cubicle during the confrontation; a man named Simon steps in to address the situation.
- Simon abruptly fires the woman, named Sam, due to her alleged behavior and past issues at the office.
- An attempt by a man with dreadlocks to defend Sam is dismissed by Simon, who insists on her immediate dismissal.
- Sam is visibly shocked and devastated, collecting her belongings from the office as co-workers watch in silence.
- Nisha demands the return of her items and informs Sam she will be waiting outside.
- Sam, with her belongings in a box, begins to walk home followed by Nisha, who remains adamant about retrieving her possessions.
- The two women arrive at Sam’s house where Phil, Sam’s husband, is outside working on a camper-van.
- Nisha demands her shoes, which are missing from the bag, increasing tension among everyone present.
- A misunderstanding is revealed: Phil thought Sam was having an affair due to a pair of red shoes and her return home sweaty from boxing.
- It is uncovered that the red shoes belonged to Nisha and were accidentally taken by Sam, who wore them to impress someone.
- Andrea, Sam's friend, calls Sam's daughter Cat to inquire about the missing shoes.
- Cat reveals that she took the shoes to a charity shop near her college, mistaking them for a sign of an affair and a symbol of patriarchal oppression.
- Nisha is frustrated by the turn of events as her designer shoes are now at a goodwill store.
- Andrea suggests heading to the charity shop right away in hopes of retrieving the shoes for Nisha.