by L. J. Dee
“No. Needle in a haystack....hot guy who is helpful in a crisis and believe me, the twenty other women who swooned over him tonight will know his name and be Googling him as we speak. You are putting yourself at a major disadvantage, that’s all I’m saying. And if he’s really hot you can make that twenty five. So, on average Brian Dooley has one hundred and seventy five women a week to choose from; women who know his name. Multiply that up and you can see where I’m coming from,” she said, her face softening ever so slightly having made her point.
We would never see eye to eye on this.
“It’s just not the way I expect to meet someone, Chas. I trust in fate,” I smiled as she shook her head.
“Screw fate, you have to make this shit work for you, Sis. You’ve got Cinderella syndrome, that’s your problem,” she laughed, throwing a cushion at me. She was probably right, so I took myself off to bed with an Agatha Christie and internal promises to wean myself off the Bronte’s and stop secretly wishing I’d been born one hundred years earlier.
CHAPTER 2
“Hopefully this is about the Christmas bonus,” Ruby smiled at me as she sent the email to everyone in the building alerting them to a meeting in the main boardroom at two. Bonus? This was news to me. It was unlikely I’d be entitled anyway, I d only been here eight weeks.
I smiled across at her. “It’s a bit unusual though. Mr Turnbull normally goes through the building department by department, thanking people individually for the work they’ve done. He must be too busy. He’s been locked in there for days,” she said in a hushed whisper.
I’d thought the same, but with little experience I hadn’t been entirely sure that it wasn’t normal if he was working on something important. I’d barely seen him; aside from the two minutes he called me into his office this morning and asked me to re-sign my contract, mumbling something about an extra day’s holiday that HR hadn’t included. I hadn’t argued as he slid it across the desk. I signed it and slid it straight back, making him a coffee and returning to my reports.
“He looked tired this morning, Ruby. Do you think he’s okay?” I asked, thinking that the wrinkles around his eyes had looked a little deeper than usual. I liked Mr Turnbull. He was a good man who was giving me a chance and I had a lot to thank him for.
“I don’t know, Jess, but whatever it is, it looks like we’ll find out at two,” she said, calling me over and showing me a new Excel system that would make formatting and filing my work a lot more efficient. I made notes. I was learning quickly but there was still so much to take in. Ruby wanted me to have all the key things covered by the time she retired next month and with four years waitressing skills and absolutely no office experience, it was proving to be a baptism of fire.
“I finished all the online training you suggested at the weekend. I’ve been practising it endlessly, so if you see a file called Jessica’s Initiation, that’s what it is,” I laughed as she smiled broadly back at me, pulling another sheet from her desk.
“Here’s phase two and you’re doing really well. Keep it up.”
I took the paper from her, scanning the list. I’d already come so far and was really enjoying it. I called into my boss’s office at ten to two, to see if he wanted a cup of tea ahead of the meeting and he looked utterly exhausted.
“Are you okay, Mr Turnbull?” I asked as he looked up, trying to force a half smile. “I just wondered if you want your afternoon tea,” I smiled back, noticing the bags under his eyes had darkened further since this morning. He shook his head, holding up what looked like a tumbler of scotch and my heart sank. Even after only two months, I knew that my boss didn’t drink hard liquor in the middle of the day, but whatever was going on, it didn’t look like he was about to share it with me now.
“No thanks, Jess,” he said simply as I left the room and made my way downstairs with Ruby to wait for him, along with the rest of Capitol Industries. The room was awash with gossip and rumour. From the snatched rumblings I overheard, I began to wonder if Ruby was wrong about the Christmas bonus. There was an instant silence as he entered, but I felt slightly better, noticing he looked a lot fresher than he had ten minutes earlier, confidently striding towards the front of the gathered crowd in his well cut suit and standing tall.
My spirits rose for a few moments and fell instantly as soon as his speech began. Most of what he said went over my head, because as soon as I heard the words “hostile takeover” and “at risk” my mind was spinning along with my stomach.
It would soon be Christmas, this job was the best thing that had happened to me in years and I needed it. I wasn’t stupid enough not to realise that with only eight weeks service I‘d be one of the first people they’d cut. I’d worked really hard, but it didn’t negate the fact that I didn’t have the qualifications required and some things just came with experience, there was no getting away from that.
Mr Turnbull had told me that three months would be sufficiently long to verse me in the necessary skills for his basic day to day activities and pick up when Ruby retired in January.
He was funding my online training, and every night when Dexter was in bed I’d worked and worked to increase my competence. But there was lots I didn’t know, things I still couldn’t do and I suddenly felt sick. With so little experience, it wasn’t as if I would walk into another office job. As I looked at Mr Turnbull’s face I felt sicker still. He was putting on an act, feigning confidence and positivity for the benefit of the gathered crowds. Beneath the bluster, his normally happy green eyes were dull and sad, buried beneath the bags as he finished his speech.
The poor man had been forced from the company he had helped to create and worked so hard for. I wasn’t surprised he was drinking scotch in the middle of the day. As everyone filed out of the boardroom whispering nervously, I made my way to his office and poured him another.
He’d ordered everyone home. We’d meet our new owners tomorrow and he answered no questions at all, leaving me to speculate anxiously and wonder whether I’d still have a job at Christmas. It wasn’t looking promising.
I filled Chas in on the events of the day, trying to keep Dexter out of earshot. Chas was an optimist, but I could see the troubled glaze in her eyes as she tried to perk me up.
“It’s not a done deal, Jess. They’ll still need a PA and Ruby retires soon,” she smiled kindly, pouring me a glass of wine.
“Yes, a PA who knows what they’re doing and I can’t come back to Elite. Mrs Jones can’t mind Dexter every night; it’s too much for her now. I won’t get another office job and if I do day waitressing or shop work I won’t be able to pay my way. There is no way I can face going back to that estate,” I said as the tears began to well in my eyes.
“We’ll figure it out, Jess. Stop worrying. You and Dex are going nowhere. I’m practically running half the show down there now with Patrick. We still need organisers and day staff. It’s not ideal but we’ll sort something out.”
My sister was not one of life’s worriers. I never used to be, but I had Dexter. He was my responsibility and it was up to me to provide for him. Chas had already done so much more than I could ever have asked her for and I would never go back to where we were. The thought terrified me. She never said it, but I knew we couldn’t afford this place without my job. She could take in two lodgers and live her life to the full, but she hadn’t. As it was, we muddled through, largely thanks to the job she’d secured for me.
“Drink this and see what tomorrow brings,” she chirped, handing me another glass as I nodded and went to play with Dexter. It was the only way I’d get through tonight.
CHAPTER 3
There was an eerie silence throughout the building the next morning. The volume of chat, normally vibrant and cheerful was barely audible as people hypothesized about the new owners and wondered what the changes would mean for their respective departments and ultimately themselves. It was interesting to watch.
Some people were proactively gathering examples of their work to showcase with a
steely, determined glint in their eyes, while others were all but clearing their desks for a speedy getaway.
I sighed loudly as I walked into our office, watching Ruby and smiling gently as she turned to glance up at me sympathetically. I suspected she thought the same as me.
The new owners would want their own PA who suited them and knew their ways, someone accustomed to their demands and requirements. According to Ruby, that was fifty percent of the whole job and was unlikely to be either of us two now.
I imagined that for the sake of four weeks they’d keep Ruby. Thirty five years service would come with a hefty pay off. They’d get rid of me, while she tied up the loose ends and handed over to whoever they employed or brought with them instead. It would cost them nothing due to my length of service and I had no rights whatsoever.
Along with the rest of the building I shifted restlessly all morning, with half an eye on the partner spaces in the car park below my window. I called Ruby over as a sleek black Bentley pulled into one, followed quickly by the roar of a gleaming red Lamborghini. I was still watching the cars for any sign of movement when Ruby told me to check my email.
“We’ve got individual meetings scheduled with the new bosses. I’m up in fifteen minutes, what time are you?” she asked as I paced back to my computer and opened my inbox.
I looked at my watch. “Twenty minutes,” I sighed. They were affording me a whole five minutes while they wrecked my life.
I returned to the window, having missed the activity in the car park and saw the back of the black suits as they disappeared through the main doors. “It looks like there are two of them, Ruby,” I called, pulling a silently apologetic face as I realised she was on the phone talking in hushed tones before she replaced the handset.
“I just spoke to Janet from Payroll, she’s up the same time as me in boardroom two, so it looks like they’ll be rattling through us all as quickly as possible,” she said, raising her eyebrows as my stomach churned.
“I guess this is goodbye then,” I muttered as she made her way out of the office, but she hadn’t heard me. No doubt her brain was somewhere else entirely and the anxiety was crippling me as I made my way slowly to the boardroom a couple of minutes later.
A stunning girl with long chestnut hair was sitting behind what looked like a hastily arranged reception desk outside the boardroom door. She glanced up without smiling as I made my way towards her. “Jessica Evangelista,” I said, taking a seat to try and calm my shaking legs as she nodded curtly.
Ruby was out seconds later as I glanced up at her. “Are you OK?” I mouthed mutely as she nodded, smiling gently. At least that wouldn’t put her retirement payments at risk and I was happy for her. She’d been an absolute dream to work with and never once lost patience with me, despite the fact it would have been a hell of a lot easier for her if Mr Turnbull had employed someone who actually knew what they were doing.
I assumed I’d be in straight away, but I wasn’t. Two more people who were obviously due in after me turned up, before the receptionist answered a call. She put the receiver down, stating my name and stopping me abruptly as I stood to make my way tentatively towards the boardroom door.
“Miss Evangelista, please return to your office. Your appointment has been moved back to six o’clock,” she said, gesturing the next person through. I just stood there staring at her.
“Why?” I asked, my stomach churning and my head spinning.
“Return at six,” she said coolly as I made my way, dazed and confused, back to the office.
“Well?” asked Ruby who was packing up her desk as I walked in.
“They’re not going to see me until six,” I said, my puzzled expression betraying my feelings as she looked at me the same way.
“Did they say why, Jess?” she asked gently as I shook my head.
“What about you Ruby, what happened?” I was slightly confused as to why she was packing up her things if she was OK.
“They’ve put me on annual leave until I finish officially. My contract has been amended so it won’t affect my retirement payout. He was really nice about it. Thanked me for loyal service and sent me on my way,” she smiled as I went to hug her. I pulled a happy retirement card from my bag, along with the two fresh cream pastries from the bakery I’d bought on my way in.
“I know Mr Turnbull would have thrown you a huge party after thirty five years service and it’s not quite the same, but I thought I’d be out today and I wanted to say thank you for everything you’ve done to help me, Ruby,” I smiled as her eyes welled up.
“Thank you, Jess, you’re very welcome. I’ll miss the place and I’ll miss you and Turnbull. It’s really nice that you thought of this with everything that’s going on. It would have been sad just to leave today without marking it in some way.” She was trying to be brave, but I felt for her. After that length of service you’d expect a nice speech and a gold clock at the very least, not a crème puff and a cuppa.
“I’ll make the tea to go with these, Ruby. You put your feet up, I’ve still got a few hours until they sack me so I’ll make myself useful,” I smiled. My plan had been to gather a few of the staff who knew Ruby well in our office, but it just wouldn’t happen today. Everyone was too on edge, too nervous and preoccupied, so we sat there drinking tea and eating our pastries until I wished Ruby a happy retirement and she left.
“Call me if you need anything,” she smiled and I made my way over to the window as steady streams of people filed out of the building with a box tucked under their arm. It was one of the saddest sights I’d ever seen. I was desperate to know what the delay was in firing me. Surely I’d be one of the easiest to get rid of? The time ticked interminably slowly until I made my way down to the boardroom at five to six, with my stomach churning and my heart in my mouth.
“You can go straight in,” said the cool brunette without even looking up. I didn’t blame her. There seemed little point in befriending people who were about to receive the shattering news that they were being made redundant just before Christmas. I didn’t envy her; except for the part that she still appeared to have a job.
His smile broke the minute I walked in, while mine faded in a joint synchronised recognition and my heart sank. ‘Oh God, oh God, oh God’. It was only the blond haired charmer who’d steadied my tray and witnessed my Friday night faux pas in fucking hot pants.
“Well, well, well,” he laughed, gesturing for me to sit. “We’ve got a moonlighting PA with a Teflon contract.”
I was so embarrassed I couldn’t take in his words as I sat down. My stomach was whipping itself into a nauseous frenzy and my cheeks were blazing. This man was about to fire me, and a whole new level of humiliation had just been added to this sorry state of affairs.
He was watching me closely as I glanced at the floor, not quite knowing what to say. The best I could offer was, “I wasn’t really moonlighting,” as I looked up and met his gaze.
“Excuse me,” he said, answering his ringing phone and I was glad of the few moments it afforded me to compose myself. He continued to stare at me, slightly puzzled and seemingly bemused as he spoke into the receiver.
“Yes, she’s here now.” A small smile tickled the corner of his mouth, watching my reaction as he spoke to the mystery caller and I sat fidgeting with my fingers in my lap. “The legal team have been looking at it all day. There’s nothing we can do, it’s absolutely airtight,” he said; his smile fading slowly as he listened intently. “We could, but it will take time. You have yourself a new PA,” he laughed eventually, ending the call and I wondered what the hell was going on.
My nerves and impatience got the better of me and I couldn’t wait any longer. “What’s going on, Sir?” Something about my situation was different. Everyone else had been in or out in five minutes flat. Staying or going, simple. My appointment had been put back until six, an hour after my usual finishing time and I’d been here at least five minutes and was still none the wiser.
“Hunter Industries have
acquired Capitol Industries and we are restructuring. Some divisions will be incorporated into our existing business and others will cease to exist,” he said firmly without a hint of regret or apology.
“What’s going to happen to me?” I asked quietly. It seemed like the obvious question and the small smile played again around his full lips.
“I’m Charlie Hunter. Lucas Hunter will be running the operation down here and taking the position previously occupied by Mr Turnbull, Jessica. To be entirely honest with you, we brought you here to let you go, but your contract is unusual to say the least,” he laughed gently as I stared at him puzzled.
I’d read my contract and it was pretty standard employment stuff.
He continued before I could speak. “Anyway, the decision has been made that you will retain your position working for Lucas, at least for now, so turn up tomorrow and we’ll take it from there.”
“I’m not out,” I gasped, surprised, relieved and absolutely ecstatic, my voice unrecognisable even to me.
“It would appear not, Miss Evangelista,” he smiled as I stood to leave, grinning broadly. “Good luck, Jessica,” he shouted after me with an unmistakable edge of humour in his voice. I didn’t know why and I didn’t care. I couldn’t really understand any of this, but it didn’t matter. I had a job, we would have our Christmas and Chas and Dex would be thrilled.
The building was abnormally quiet as I made my way back up to the office, hearing only the low hum of the floor polishers and vacuum cleaners somewhere in the distance. Already it felt strangely different and I hoped this wouldn’t set the tone for our new owners.
Capitol had been a great, fun place to work. Charlie Hunter had seemed OK, polite and smiley like he’d been at the party. I was just so grateful to still have a job that I didn’t give it any more thought as I pulled my phone from my bag, reaching across the desk for my coat.
Chas wasn’t working and I had big plans. Tonight the Evangelista’s would be celebrating. “Are you out on a hot date with one of those gorgeous and fabulously unobtainable men tonight?”