BOSS

by Ashley John

  “What time is it?” his voice was hoarse.

  “Nearly eight,” he glanced at the watch on his wrist, “have you been here all night?”

  “Does it matter?” he bit back.

  Ezra didn’t know what to say. Should he start trying to explain himself while Joshua was still half asleep, or should he just leave him alone?

  “I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” he laughed, “ironic, right?”

  “You could have come to mine.”

  “No, I couldn’t,” Joshua shook his head sternly.

  It was so frustrating to Ezra that Joshua was right in front of him and he couldn’t do the one thing he wanted to do.

  “I’ve missed you,” Ezra said the words so fast they almost stumbled over each other.

  Joshua scratched his hair with both hands and smoothed it down, tucking it behind his ears. The stubble on the lower half of his face looked thicker and darker than usual.

  “I need to go,” Joshua stood up, ignoring what Ezra said, “there’s somewhere I need to be.”

  He watched as Joshua headed for the door, leaving the whiskey behind. What do I do?

  “Joshua, please let me explain.”

  He stopped in his tracks and Ezra almost thought he was going to turn around to let him speak. He didn’t even know what he was going to say, but he knew he had to say something.

  Instead, Joshua dropped his head and laughed softly. Without speaking, he opened the door and vanished.

  The anger burst out of Ezra and he kicked the desk. The computer shook but it was his foot that came off worse.

  Sitting behind his desk, he watched the day go by. He ignored every phone call and email, choosing to look blankly out of the city, the same way he imagined Joshua would have been doing all night.

  Becky tried to bring him coffee and lunch but it all went untouched. He couldn’t stomach food. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d properly eaten.

  Sometime after two, a loud knock at the door brought him from his daze. It was a stern knock and it made him sit upright. He thought about calling out for them to come in, but he ignored it.

  They knocked again and he heard mumbling voices. It sounded like there was more than one of them.

  When he didn’t answer, they took it upon themselves to enter anyway. Ezra watched as Graham and the rest of the directors shuffled into the room, none of them able to look him in the eye but Graham.

  “What?” Ezra snapped, “What do you -,”

  The words jammed in his throat when he saw Joshua on the end of the line. Ezra stared blankly for what felt like a lifetime but he couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Can we see you in the boardroom, please?” Graham held his hand out to the glass boardroom door.

  He said it in a way that read ‘please come quietly because you don’t have a choice’.

  “I see what this is,” Ezra looked up and down the line and they were all avoiding his gaze, including Joshua, “I know you’ve been meeting secretly on the third floor. Oh! It’s Wednesday, isn’t it? Time for another meeting. You should have let me know I was invited to this one. I would have put on a spread.”

  “Ezra,” Graham barked sternly, “it’s in your best interest to walk through to the boardroom.

  Graham and the rest of the men started to file into the boardroom as Ezra stood in disbelief. When it came to Joshua he had to do something. He snatched him out of the line, his fingers wrapping around his arms. He looked almost brainwashed and empty.

  “Whatever they’ve said to you. It’s bullshit,” Ezra shook him, “you know me. They’re trying to manipulate you.”

  Joshua’s eyes dropped to the floor but they quickly met Ezra’s. There was a deep fire in them, mixing with an obvious anger.

  “I don’t know you,” Joshua snarled as he looked down to Ezra’s lips, “I thought I did, but I don’t.”

  “Please remain from speaking directly to my client,” Tobias Cole barged through them, dragging Joshua off to the boardroom as he muttered to him.

  Joshua sat on one end of the glass table and Ezra sat on the other. He wouldn’t take his eyes off Joshua but Joshua couldn’t bring himself to do the same. The rest of the men sat between them, with Graham and Tobias on either side of Joshua.

  He should have felt big and powerful, but he didn’t. He felt like a coward. Looking to the painting behind Ezra’s head, he remembered the safe and he remembered what he’d found in there. This is what your dad wants.

  “I guess I’ll kick things off,” Graham cleared his throat as he slowly poured himself a glass of water.

  “Please, do,” Ezra’s lips wrangled into a dry smile as he leaned back in his chair, almost amused by what was going on, “I’m dying to know what you’ve been filling Joshua’s head with.”

  Ezra stared back at him and Joshua allowed himself to meet that gaze of steel for a stolen second but when he felt the fire in his gut, he tore away.

  “I think you know why we’re here today, Ezra,” Graham was keeping his cool, “we both knew this day was coming.”

  “You weren’t going to let it pass us by, were you Graham? You’ve been desperate for power since before Bill’s body was cold in the ground.”

  “This isn’t about power for me, this is about Joshua,” Graham rested his hand on Joshua’s shoulder, “he didn’t deserve any of this.”

  Ezra tossed his head back and let out a harsh cackle. It sent a shiver running all along Joshua’s skin.

  “He probably didn’t but the one man who can defend me isn’t here. You’ve all made your minds up about me, haven’t you?”

  They stayed silent, glancing to each other, but not Ezra. Joshua looked dead ahead at him but it was Ezra who couldn’t hold his gaze this time.

  “We all knew Bill a lot longer than you and we all know he wouldn’t have left his company to you willingly. Everybody has been thinking that but we haven’t been able to prove it until now.”

  Tobias clipped open his briefcase and produced a copy of the letter to Charles Worthington and a written copy of Auntie Jackie’s statement.

  They all passed the paper down to Ezra. He scanned over them in an anxious silence before slapping them down on the table and pushing them away from him. There was a fear in his eyes, telling Joshua he’d never read the letter.

  “This is just speculation.”

  “Speculation from Bill Silverton himself and his sister.”

  “You don’t know what he found out!” Ezra leaned forwards, “You weren’t there in those final days. None of you were. It was just me.”

  His eyes darted straight to Joshua, where they stayed for what felt like a lifetime. He wanted to look away but there was so much blame and upset in those hazel eyes. He’s just trying to manipulate you.

  “This is a joke,” Ezra slammed himself into his chair, “you’re never going to let him listen to me. Joshua, can’t you see -,”

  “Please refrain from addressing my -,”

  “Oh, shut it!” Ezra cut the lawyer off, “You’ve manipulated him.”

  “I think you’re the one doing the manipulating,” Graham said calmly.

  Joshua didn’t know what to think. Everybody seemed so convinced they were right but it was Ezra’s eyes that held the most truth. Should he give him a chance to explain himself? Had he missed something obvious?

  Looking down at the letters, he knew he couldn’t have missed anything. Too many fingers were pointing at Ezra for it to be wrong.

  “And then there’s the profits,” Graham pulled another chunk of paper from his briefcase, “you’re spending is out of control. You’re running this company into the ground.”

  He passed the folder towards Ezra and he laughed when it was in his hands.

  “So this is why you broke into my office to print all of this off,” he snarled, “we’re down 2% on last year. That’s all. Do you know why? It’s because you keep tying my hands with the shit you keep trying to push.”

  “I only want what’s
best for this company,” Graham held firm.

  “Maybe you don’t know what’s best,” he looked to Joshua, “but I see you’ve got yourself a puppet to control.”

  Joshua was about to deny it, but he wasn’t sure he could.

  “We’ve drawn up a contract,” Graham pulled a wedge of papers out of his briefcase, “if you sign them today, it’ll avoid a long and expensive battle.”

  Joshua looked down at the contracts. He thought they had only arranged the meeting to discuss things with Ezra. He had no idea they had actually gone as far as to create the contracts.

  “What contract?” Ezra peered across the table.

  Joshua did the same but he didn’t understand any of what he was looking at. He had no idea why lawyers had to make things intentionally confusing.

  “You’ll be signing over the company, the house and any other assets left to you by Bill Silverton. Everything will revert back to Joshua, as per the original will,” Tobias spoke up.

  Ezra looked between all three of them. He looked amused but there was fear there too. He was scared they were being serious. Were they just trying to play his bluff to see what he’d say? Joshua wasn’t sure anymore.

  “You’ll leave me with nothing,” Ezra clenched his jaw.

  “You’ll be given a salary for the last year of service. I think you’ll find we’ve been quite generous with the sum,” Graham slid the contract down to Ezra, the other men helped it along the way.

  Ezra looked like he would refuse to look at it but his eyes wandered down to the front page. He was soon looking through it, page by page, engrossed in whatever it said.

  Why didn’t they let me look over this first?

  “£1.2 Million,” Ezra laughed, “you’re trying to pay for my co-operation.”

  “It’s a salary,” Graham repeated, “minus expenses incurred over the last year.”

  Ezra slammed the contract shut and looked straight at Joshua. Joshua wanted Ezra to say something but he didn’t. They stared through the awkward silence, their eyes communicating things their lips couldn’t.

  “You never told me this was happening today,” Joshua leaned in and whispered to Tobias.

  “It’s for the best,” he nodded.

  Everyone seemed to know what was best for Joshua. I’m doing this for my dad, so why does it feel like I’m a pawn in a bigger game?

  “Take the money, Ezra,” Graham sipped his water, “you’re not a stupid man. It’s much more than you were making before you were the boss. Use it to set yourself up somewhere new and get on with your life.”

  “It’s not about the money,” he was staring at Joshua, “it hasn’t been for a long time.”

  Graham shifted uncomfortably in his chair and Joshua got the impression he wished he’d offered him less. Joshua tried to search Ezra’s eyes for the answers but he had his guard up.

  “You know this should be Joshua’s,” Graham said, “and if you give it back, we won’t pursue this.”

  “Is that a threat?” Ezra laughed.

  “Maybe it is,” Graham shrugged with a strange calmness.

  Graham knew whose court the ball was in and it was strange for Joshua to see Ezra floundering so much. The power was being sucked from him as they spoke but he didn’t feel like it was being transferred to him.

  “I didn’t take this company from him,” Ezra dropped his head, “it was given to me. I thought I wanted it too, but it turns out, it’s a curse. Not that any of you will listen, but Bill Silverton chose me over his son. He wouldn’t explain why to me, but I accepted it. Give me a pen.”

  He held out his hand and snapped his fingers. The man nearest to him shakily pulled a pen from his inside pocket and Ezra snatched it, clicking the top.

  Graham and Tobias looked over Joshua. They couldn’t believe he was going to sign it that easily and neither could Joshua. He’d been expecting some resistance, a fight even. It didn’t feel right for him to give in so easily.

  Was he scared of the truth coming out? Joshua hoped that was why he was doing it. It doesn’t feel like that.

  Ezra’s pen made contact with the paper but it didn’t move. Nobody was breathing in the room, except Joshua. He felt like the air was running out of oxygen and his lungs were screaming out for more.

  “Is this what you really want?” Ezra peered under his dark brows to Joshua.

  He couldn’t speak. How could he? He just stared at the pen as it hovered on the dotted line.

  What do you want Joshua? What do you really want?

  “Of course it’s what he wants,” Graham spat, “just sign the damn thing.”

  Graham’s urgency seemed to ignite everybody else in the room. They all edged forwards to watch Ezra’s fingers dance across the dotted line.

  “This isn’t right,” Joshua whispered to Tobias.

  “Don’t ruin it now,” Tobias was hungrily staring at Ezra’s hand.

  Joshua’s eyes found Ezra’s again and he was still waiting for an answer. He couldn’t do anything so he just nodded, but even that felt wrong.

  Ezra shook his head, disappointed almost. He looked down to the paper and scribbled his signature. Everybody breathed a sigh of relief. He went through the rest of the document and signed and dated everything. When he was done, he tossed the pen onto the glass table with a loud clatter, pushed his chair out and left.

  He didn’t say a word and he didn’t look at Joshua. Pausing in the doorway, he twisted his head over his neck but his eyes weren’t present.

  “Good luck.”

  And then he was gone. Ezra Steele left Silverton Tower without a fight. It was over. Joshua didn’t have to worry anymore. He had everything he deserved, or, everything he thought he deserved. I don’t feel very deserving.

  He didn’t feel powerful or in control, nor did he feel like he’d won anything. In fact, he felt like he’d lost. He felt like everybody had lost.

  He stared at the contract, wishing he could un-sign for Ezra but Graham was already tucking it back into his briefcase.

  “How do you feel, kiddo?” Graham patted Joshua heavily on the shoulders.

  As he stared at the empty seat where Ezra had just sat, he couldn’t speak. He felt sick. The alcohol from the night before came forth, announcing his hangover triumphantly. Turning around, he clutched the nearest waste paper basket and emptied the alcohol from his stomach into it.

  He felt Tobias rub his back, telling him this was only the start.

  “This is what you wanted,” Tobias said soothingly, “remember when you first came to see me and you found out he’d taken everything?”

  ‘I didn’t take this company from him, it was given to me’

  Even right at the end when he was backed into a corner, he didn’t change his story. He didn’t tell you about his wife either and he probably would have never told you if Jade didn’t.

  “Tobias, where’s my dad buried?”

  Joshua didn’t know why he hadn’t asked that question until now. Why hadn’t he cared? Was he really there to do what his father wanted, or was it just to rid himself of the guilt of not being there at the end?

  “He’s with your mother.”

  Joshua found himself in the City of London Graveyard with Violet. He couldn’t face going alone. The last time he’d been there was the day before he headed to the airport, but things had changed since then.

  There was more than one name on the headstone.

  ‘Here lies Tabatha Silverton and her dearly beloved husband Bill Silverton.’

  The dates of their births and deaths were inscribed in the marble in the middle of a full row of graves. Thinking back to his life as a child, they had been so happy together. It had been perfect, or what a child’s perception of perfect was.

  Crouching down, Violet set down a bouquet of flowers on the empty ground. She kissed the stone and stood up, standing back to give Joshua space.

  He stared at his father’s name.

  Are you proud of me, Dad? Is this what you wanted?
>
  “Violet, I think I’ve done something stupid and I’ll never know if it was the right thing to do,” the words tumbled out of his mouth so fast.

  “Whatever it is,” she rested her hand on his shoulder, “we can fix it.”

  “Not this,” he shook his head.

  He turned to her and he could see his own worry and doubt reflected in her eyes. Gently resting her hands on his arm, she urged him to speak without actually saying anything.

  “Ezra signed everything over. I’m the new boss.”

  Saying those words didn’t make him feel like a boss. They made him feel like a coward for trapping a man into a corner.

  The same look of disappointment he’d seen in Ezra’s eyes when he’d signed everything over had been transferred to Violet’s eyes. She didn’t say anything, she just pulled him into a hug.

  She knew all of the things he wouldn’t admit to feeling. She felt them and they were flowing through her as they hugged.

  “I told you not to rush,” she whispered.

  “I thought it was the right thing to do,” he pulled away from the hug, his eyes welling up with tears, “I felt like I had my dad by my side but I don’t think I did. I don’t think he wanted this. I’ll never know.”

  They started to walk back to Violet’s car in silence, arm in arm. He wanted to run and never stop. The urge to jump on a plane was the strongest it had ever been. I need to run away from my mistakes.

  When they were both about to get into Violet’s car, she paused with her key in the lock, not opening the doors.

  “Joshua -,” her eyes opened wide and glazed out of focus, “I did something too. With everything that was going on, I forgot, but I did something you told me not to do.”

  He didn’t know what she was talking about but as an excited smile spread across her face, he was sure it wasn’t something as bad as she was making out.

  “What did you do?” he asked slowly.

  “It’s better if I show you,” she opened the car and jumped in.

  Unsure of what was going on, Joshua joined her in the car, nervously looking at his cousin as they pulled out of the graveyard.