“Benson, listen, I get your need to be the good guy, but this company is failing. To do a merger, we’re spending our money on a company that couldn’t make it. We should cut it up and sell it off, keeping the name alone for some division, if that’s how you want it.”
“That’s not how I want it, Joyce. I want the company to be intact. I want the employees to enjoy stability and safety in their future careers. I want them, like our own employees, to be happy. Happy employees make better products and services, and you know that.”
Joyce took a deep breath and then nodded, steeling herself before she left the office. “I’ll tell Regal we’ll discuss it another day. You think about it further, Benson, think about how much money our employees will make, being they are shareholders because of another great idea you had. If you don’t make them money, they won’t be happy, and we’ll have two rotting companies.”
Benson stopped her by standing between her and the door. “Either you call him to meet with me now or I will. I’m not thinking about this, Joyce. I’m not giving in to this.”
“You get your dick sucked and suddenly you’re even more generous than you already were. You’re not thinking, Benson.”
“I am thinking, Joyce. And I’m also thinking that if my assistant can’t respect my wishes, maybe she needs to find an employer that doesn’t mind her thinking she has the right to call the shots.”
“You’d fire me for looking out for your bottom line? Who is this guy?”
“Why do you insist on blaming someone else for the disagreement you and I are having? You know me, Joyce. I won’t take a hatchet to a company that has served people well for over two decades. Just to, what? Make another hundred million, or more? I don’t need more money. My shareholders don’t need more money. The last quarter has them all doing very well. Go call Regal and have him meet me here, or I’ll go to him. I don’t care. I’m not trying to lord over him either.”
“Fine, Benson. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
When she was gone, the room warmed considerably. She could frost over a tropical island given the chance. He got himself a drink, then realized it wasn’t noon yet, and drank it anyway. The owner of a vast company, and he still hated confrontation. Especially her. He understood that she was looking out for him and his company, as she had from theminute she was hired. He’d wanted her for that reason, because he knew he could be too generous to the point of hurting the people he meant to help.
Still, there was not a chance that he’d put so many in danger of a heartbreaking new year, or the possibility of losing pensions, health insurance and more for entire families.
He sat at his desk and smiled again, as he thought about Luka and all the things he could give him that had nothing to do with money. Never had he connected so quickly to anyone. Not once in all his life had he thought so quickly that a guy would bethe one. That one person that could change everything for the better.
So, he sent Luka a text because he just couldn’t wait to call him.
How about we go out on the town tonight?
Expecting to wait hours for a response, he was surprised when it happened right away.
I’d love it. What is the time and place?
Benson read that and laughed. “Okay, I hadn’t gotten that far.”
After a few moments, he typed, I’ll surprise you. Actually, I will surprise us both. I just had the idea this minute.
There was a laughing emoji then.Okay, well, just let me know. Talk soon.
Butterflies were going haywire in his gut, and he smiled like his face could split in two.
A call came to his office phone, and he placed it on speaker, “Yes, Carol?”
“Sir, Mr. Regal is here to see you.”
“Where is Joyce?”
“She was in her office, sir. Do you want me to call her?”
He almost said yes and then thought better of it. “No, not yet. Let me speak to him alone.”
“Of course, Mr. Carter. I’ll send him right in.”
After rising and buttoning his suit coat, Benson started for his office door, arriving just as George Regal stepped through it.
In his late fifties, he looked twenty years older, and his hair, and turned from salt and pepper to fully white since the last time Benson had seen him. He was thinner as well, all marks of the stress he’d been under.
“George, good to see you again, only I wish it were under different circumstances,” Benson said as he proffered his hand.
George scowled but did shake his hand. “I’m sure,” he said sarcastically, not even trying to hide his disdain.
