Dear Pamster,
I am sorry about the no good news about the contest.

Regarding this very strange stuff about the aide and the boss:
I'm hoping that in a day or two, you will be able to focus not on how they acted but on what is best for you and your family. Give it a day or two. Maybe the situation will be less emotional and maybe you can work out this mess to your benefit somehow.

I'm glad that you came here to vent. I certainly seems that they were pretty close to insufferable. You did a better job than I would have of keeping cool.

M.