“If the number doesn’t sit well with you, I can always raise it to two million.”
The attorneys shut up. They didn’t seem happy but at least knew when it was no longer feasible to keep fighting a battle that was over.
Frank didn’t expect DMI to see a dime of that money, at least no time soon. He fully expected the brood of attorneys to file an appeal. Frank didn’t care if the preacher wanted to keep spending money on attorneys instead of his congregation. That was between him and them.
Dave gathered his belongings. Frank too. Dave shook the judge’s hand and then the pastor’s. “My mission at DMI hasn’t changed, Pastor. I’m in business to help you, because by helping you, I’m glorifying my Father,” he said, pointing up. “Isn’t that the business you and I should be about?” he said and left.
Frank couldn’t wait to get outside. He never tired of seeing Dave in action. They headed to the office, invigorated.
Back at DMI, Dave said, “Frank, let’s recap the arbitration over lunch. We might as well capitalize on the momentum for our next case.”
“Which case?” Frank asked.
“Don’t worry. It’s on the way,” Dave said as they roared.
“Cool, lunch it is,” Frank said.
He was walking toward the elevators when Dave turned to say, “Sherry, why don’t you come to lunch with us? I’d like for you to take notes as we hash out a strategy.”
Frank hadn’t noticed how young she was until now. He peered at his kid brother, amazed at how lucky and successful Dave was, even when surrounded by inexperienced, and at times, incompetent people. Whatever luck Dave had, Frank looked forward to the day when he would have the same.
“Are you coming, big brother?” Dave asked.
“Right behind you,” he said, content with being in the midst of a great man.
Chapter 23
Madeline couldn’t remember the last time she’d awakened refreshed. No nagging headache, or lingering exhaustion, or inescapable issues were waiting to latch on this morning. She was free. She lay quiet for what must have been a good fifty minutes, wondering if it was for real. Dave was still in the bed too. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Four fifty-three. She considered going back to sleep but decided against it. She and Dave hadn’t enjoyed very many pleasant conversations in recent weeks, especially when it came to what the children needed.
“Dave,” she whispered, turning on her lamp. It took several calls before he responded. “Are you awake?”
He groaned. “I’m up, everything all right?” he said, letting his back lie flat on the bed.
“Yes, everything is fine. I just thought that since I’m wide awake, we could get a chance to talk before you go into the office.”
“Okay, that sounds good.”
Madeline was pretty sure she’d gotten up early one day last week to speak with Dave about Andre’s upcoming parent-teacher conference, or maybe it was the week before. She couldn’t recall. Getting up between four and five wasn’t as appealing as it had been several months ago when she’d left DMI. Back then Madeline was willing to get on Dave’s calendar anywhere she could. DMI was like a drug she craved. She’d wanted to know what was happening with sales in her region. She wanted to hear about the new deals brewing, about what activity was happening. As the days passed, her zeal was replaced with Tamara’s piano lessons, Don’s registration in preschool, and managing Andre’s bouts with nightmares.
“Did I tell you that Andre and Tamara’s parent-teacher conferences are tonight?”
Dave rustled around on the bed. “No, you didn’t tell me,” he said, seeming upset. What did he have to be upset about? At best he only had to show up.
“Hmm, I thought I had. Oops, I guess I must have forgotten, sorry.”
“That doesn’t seem like something you’d forget, Madeline. It’s pretty important, don’t you think?”
Okay, she’d forgotten to tell him, whoopee-do. Move on. “Dave, you don’t even want to go there with me. Many things are important, like getting home for dinner every once in a while, tucking our children in bed every blue moon, calling them after school to say hello. That’s what I consider important.”
“Madeline, I’m not trying to fight.”
“Good, I’m not either but don’t come down on me because I forgot to give you a date. With as much as I do in the house and for this family, it’s a miracle I can remember anything. You have a secretary to handle your schedule, I don’t. Now that’s what you need to remember,” she said, folding her arms, sitting up, and pressing back against the headboard.
“What time are the conferences?”
“One is at six and the other seven.”
“Which is which?”
Her temper heated. “What does it matter? You need to come to both.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“Oh well, that’s how it sounded. If you can’t take the time out for one child, don’t do it either,” she said, slumping down on the bed.
“I’ll be there,” he said, getting up.
“We’ll see, but I’m not going to hold my breath.”
“Madeline, you know I’m doing the best I can. You act like I’m staying away from home because I don’t want to be here.
“Humph.”
“And you know that’s not the case.” He sat back on the bed. “What do you suggest I do, Madeline? You have all the answers. What would make you happy?”
“Don’t you dare try to make this about me. I understand that you’re the CEO and have to run the company, but you’re also the one in control there. There is no one who ranks higher than you, which means you can do what you want to do. If the CEO wants a few hours or a few days off, who’s going to tell you that you can’t? That’s what I want to know, huh, tell me that, Mr. Dave Mitchell.”
“Sounds easy, doesn’t it, seeing this from where you’re sitting? Wasn’t that long ago when you were at DMI, helping to fight off the attacks and lawsuits, while watching the place grow like crazy. You don’t seem to realize what a vital role you played at DMI. When you left, we had a massive hole to fill, but I don’t bother you with that business. I handle your absence the best way I can, because this arrangement is what we agreed was best for our family and for DMI. I’m doing my best to uphold my end of the bargain.”
“Don’t try to put this on me. No way, mister, I still say you can get the time off if you want.” She did remember the workload and it wasn’t easy to fill her spot. She’d been there from the beginning and had a wealth of knowledge that a replacement would take years to obtain. But her disdain for his absence didn’t diminish. Maybe it was selfishness, maybe need, or maybe resentment because he got to taste the corporate action daily. Being away from DMI was like fasting. Initially giving it up seemed impossible to survive, but as each day passed, her tolerance increased. But make no mistake, the taste wasn’t completely gone—she’d just learned to manage the cravings. The thought of it all caused her to get agitated. She didn’t know what the source of her irritation was, except that it was there and didn’t appear to be going away.
Dave reached for her hand. She pulled it away. “I’m sorry you’re unhappy, but I want you to know how much I appreciate what you’re doing. You’ve whipped this place into shape, just like you did with the marketing department at DMI.”
Madeline found the compliment empty. She wasn’t in a receptive mood. She was sure that would change, but Madeline didn’t want to let Dave off so easily. Letting him stew was gratifying.
“Oh, I meant to tell you that Andre hasn’t been sleeping outside our bedroom for the past couple of days. Is he doing better?” Dave asked.
“Ask him yourself” was what she really wanted to say, but there was no fruit coming from that kind of response. “For three months he has fallen asleep waiting up for you. Since you never showed up, he had his nightmares practically every night up until a few weeks ago. After going back to sleep, he’d get up in the wee hours of the morning and camp out by
the door hoping to catch you. I guess he’s finally given up, like the rest of us. Looks like his nightmares are gone, along with his chasing you.”
Dave stood and walked toward the bathroom. “I was just asking the question.”
“And now you have your answer.”
“Madeline, don’t give up on me. God is going to see us through this rough patch.”
“Humph, apparently God is the only one getting your attention. Maybe that’s who you should have married, became a priest or monk or something like that,” she said, turning off the lamp and scooting down under the covers. She’d thrown away a good hour of sleep on worrying and arguing. Hopefully she could get a little more rest in before her day kicked off with the children. Irritations had to be marginalized.
Chapter 24
Dave stood at the large windows framing his office, peering outside, as he uttered a few words of prayer. Madeline hadn’t been the most tactful in her lashing this morning, but what she said rang with truth. That was one of the many characteristics he appreciated and had come to depend on: her knack for honesty. He could work with the truth; didn’t mean it would always sound good or put him in a comfy position, but knowing the truth was required if he was going to fix the problem. He went to his desk and picked up the phone, ready to call Madeline again. He’d called to apologize to her earlier but she was in the middle of getting the kids off to school and didn’t want to talk. He was disappointed, but understood. He rested the phone back on the desk. He’d give her space to cool down. He was confident that she’d call when the time was right.
He had another idea. He was in charge and decided to call his CFO.
“Hey, Frank, how about lunch on me today?”
“What, you’re going to lunch? I better check the weather because there must be a tornado or hail storm headed this way.”
“Ah, come on, I’m not quite that bad.”
“Yeah, you are.”
According to Madeline he was. Now he had confirmation from his other truth marshal. Between his wife and brother, he was never at risk of living in denial. They made sure he had a healthy dose of reality dumped in his lap frequently. Admittedly, their style of delivery was rough, but his love for them smoothed the edges.
“Let’s get out of here, man, and grab a nice lunch. The break will do you good. You work just as hard as I do.”
“Oh no, I don’t,” Frank said, amused. “No way, but as much as I hate to pass on a free meal, I’m going to have to. These IRS people are breathing down my neck.”
“I thought we were finished with them.” Dave wasn’t alarmed, only curious. He knew Frank had the matter under control.
“Exactly, which is why I don’t understand how they can keep bugging me. I guess since you put your special touch on them, they don’t know what to do with us. I get the feeling they cancelled the audit so fast that they’re having second thoughts.”
Faith had a way of bringing resolution to a tumultuous situation overnight. Dave had experienced it time and time again. Every time he heard a testimony like the one Frank was sharing, Dave was increasingly convinced. No matter how much turmoil was trying to surface at home, he’d remain focused and let God handle the storms. “Well, looks like you have it under control. You don’t need me involved.”
“Nope, I got it. So, I’ll definitely take a rain check with lunch, and don’t think I’m going to let you forget,” Frank said.
“No worries there.”
Dave ended the call and returned to the windows. The sun was sitting high in the noonday sky, almost tugging at him to come outside, to take a well-earned break. He plucked his suit jacket from the closet and headed to the hallway. Even if he had to walk around the building for fifteen minutes, he was getting out of the office to enjoy the beautiful day his Father had created.
He stepped past Sherry’s desk, who seemed preoccupied with typing. Then it dawned on him what to do. “Miss Henderson, don’t I owe you a welcome lunch?”
She stopped typing and looked up at him. “We already went. Remember when I joined you and Mr. Frank Mitchell after the hearing?”
“Oh come on, that doesn’t count. That was work for heaven’s sake. You were there to take notes.”
“Don’t worry about it, really.” I totally understand how busy you are and it’s okay. He could tell she was eager to get back to her typing. “I’m settled into my job, and I’m not new to DMI anymore anyway,” she said with her fingers returning to the typewriter. Three months ago she wasn’t certain about her responsibilities at DMI and asked questions every chance she got. That seemed like a long time ago. Sherry was organized and filling the role as if she’d been there for years. Dave was glad to have her on board, especially since his former secretary was extending her medical leave for another six months. Dave grinned, thinking about Madeline. His wife had saved him by hiring Sherry at a time when she was most needed.
“I’m taking you to lunch. Grab your coat and let’s go.”
“Where?” she said with a dumbfounded expression.
“To lunch.”
“Right now? But I have to—”
“Stop right there. We’re going to lunch and that’s a direct order,” he said, allowing his grin to widen so she’d relax.
“Are you sure? Because I have a ton of work to get done before I go home tonight.”
“I’m positive. Let’s go; the work will keep until later.” Dave felt satisfied. He’d heard Madeline’s appeal and would do his best to make meaningful changes.
He and Sherry stepped onto the elevator. Dave pushed the ground floor button.
“Mr. Mitchell, the cafeteria is on the third floor,” she said, reaching for the button. He placed the weight of his hand on hers before she touched the buttons.
“We’re not going to the cafeteria.” She looked puzzled again. “We’re going out to one of my local favorites. It’s only a few blocks away. Do you mind walking?”
“No, I don’t,” she said with her puzzled look dissipating, as a content expression formed. That’s what he wanted to see.
They walked through the turnstile. “And I have one request,” he said. “Please call me Dave.”
She hesitated but didn’t seem bothered. Then she said, “Dave, do you mind calling me Sherry? I’d like that.”
“Sherry it is,” he said. She put on her coat as they exited the building. The sun was even brighter outside than it had been filtering into his office. This was a new day, a new start, and Dave was pleased with his efforts.
Chapter 25
Sherry was grateful to Mr. Mitchell—or Dave, as he preferred—for taking time out of his busy schedule to take her to lunch. She didn’t feel like a high school student around him any longer. They’d spent so much time working together that her initial awkwardness around him had faded.
Dave poked his head out of the office. “Sherry, please hold my calls.”
“Sure, Mr. . . . I mean, Dave. How long would you like me to hold them?”
“Oh, I’d say about a half hour. I need to call my wife.”
“Okay,” she said, making sure he’d finished talking before returning to her work. He closed his door and she tapped a few buttons on the phone to send the calls to her desk. She couldn’t help but to think about Edward, her sweet and kind fiancé. That’s something he would have done in the past, stop all activities just to give her a call in the middle of the day for no reason. Her soul tingled thinking about how fortunate she was to have Edward. He was going through a difficult time, but it would pass. With her love, support, and a decent paying job, he’d be fine real soon. A series of unpleasant conversations with him recently attempted to sway her opinion about how soon he’d regain his positive outlook, but she refused to give up hope.
When she started, the job was a lifesaver and still was. Edward didn’t quite see it the same way, but she understood. Once he found employment, then he’d be able to appreciate her help. She’d tried several times, but he’d yet to accept money from her. It bothere
d her more than she acknowledged. They were supposed to be getting married in the summer. Her money was his and his was hers; at least, that’s how Sherry believed it went with married couples.
She couldn’t take the fretting a second longer. Better to give him a call and push doubt aside. She could tell that Dave was still talking to his wife. The red light was lit, indicating that a call was in progress. Great. That would afford her a good five or ten minutes to call Edward without appearing to be on a personal call in the presence of her boss. It would take some getting used to, calling him Dave, but eventually she’d hammer it into her head. He was kind and easy to talk to, but she hadn’t forgotten that he was the CEO. She was only a secretary. Her income meant too much to jeopardize over a careless mistake. She’d been mindful of every word, but at this moment, Sherry wasn’t worrying about DMI. Edward was at the top of her agenda.
She called him at his apartment. Unless he was out job hunting, she knew he’d be home, sitting on the couch, waiting for their date this evening. There wasn’t much else for him to do since he didn’t like watching soap operas or game shows. She couldn’t imagine sitting for hours with nothing to do, but he did.
Edward answered after several rings. “Hello, darling,” she said, practically whispering. “I have a few free minutes and wanted to say hi.” Sherry covered the receiver with her hand and constantly caught glimpses of Dave’s closed door to make sure she was safe. “How’s your day going? Find anything that looks promising?”
“Nothing today, but I’ll be back out there at seven A.M. tomorrow.” She admired his effort. Every morning Edward was up and out as if he were going to work. By nine A.M., he had filled out four or five applications.
“Don’t worry. I know you’re going to find a good one soon.”
“I hope so, but let’s face it. There aren’t any pipefitting jobs out there. I’m not in the union, which means I can’t get back into an auto plant. In Detroit, it’s the only game in town.”
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