Basically I have a job that is public facing. My boss owns the business. Basically halfway through a meeting with a client I learned that my niece was born and passed shortly after due to a birth defect. We knew she had one but we were hoping for the best outcome, obviously. My family was keeping me updated through text since they are one state over. I held back my tears and finished my meeting with my client. I am also 30 weeks pregnant and hearing that my sister’s baby didn’t make it was extremely upsetting. Afterwards I did my best to let everyone know I had a family emergency and that I needed to reschedule my next meetings. I tried to call my next client and I left a message asking them to reschedule. They showed up 15 minutes early so I spoke to them in person asking to reschedule. They agreed to reschedule with a colleague later in the week and were very understanding.
I went home to help arrange care for my dog and cat and me and my husband were squaring away flights for the next day. I get a text from my boss saying that she thought it was unprofessional of me not to take the client when she was there and that she knows I’m dealing with “family stuff”. I told her I was rescheduling people because my niece died… I’m honestly kind of shocked that my boss responded this way. I don’t think the client even complained. I’m also hurt because I like her as a person and we get along. I told her I would get back to her in a couple of days. My colleague very nicely offered to reschedule my sessions later in the week for me because I’m planning on being with family for the rest of the week. I honestly don’t really know how to respond to her. She said “I really wish you had taken that client” and it’s taking everything in me not to respond with “I really wish my niece was alive”. Part of me just wants to go on maternity leave early at this point but I don’t want to burn a bridge. I don’t know what to do.