‘We’re being taken over.’ He held up a hand before Mats could get the words out. ‘I can’t tell you who. But Ole has been offered a job elsewhere, so we’ve had to make this move to keep him. To keep his client. It’s pivotal to the deal.’
It hurt to hear they’d chosen Ole over him. ‘Right. Nothing I can do then.’
‘I’m sorry, Mats. We’ve worked together for a long time.’
‘So my notice period starts today.’
Oskar shook his head. ‘You need to leave today. We’ll pay your redundancy immediately.’
Mats was stunned. ‘You want me to leave without a proper handover?’
‘Sorry Mats. It’s out of my hands. If there’s anything I can do in terms of references, please let me know.’ He stood and held out his hand. Mats shook it and left.
‘How did it go?’ Hanne asked. ‘Are you alright, Mats?’ She frowned in concern, got up from her desk and shepherded him into his office.
‘I have to leave today.’
‘What? Why?’
‘I can’t go into it, Hanne.’ He wasn’t entirely sure he could explain what had happened, it still wasn’t clear to him. ‘I’m out.’
Hanne stood there in complete shock and Mats felt awful that he couldn’t explain the very little that he knew. ‘Mats… But why?’
‘I’m sorry. I don’t know exactly.’ That was true. So much of what Oskar said didn’t stack up. ‘I didn’t want it to happen like this.’ He felt sick and had no idea what he was supposed to do next. This wasn’t part of the plan. The redundancy money would help in the short-term, but it was nothing compared to what he could have earned by staying in his job for longer. And he couldn’t get a job in another bank knowing it would only be for a few months at the most.
‘It shouldn’t be happening like this. You’re a valuable person, they can’t treat you like this.’ She poured them both a glass of water from the carafe on his desk. ‘Here. What are you going to do?’
‘There’s nothing I can do. I guess I’m leaving today.’
‘Oh my god, Mats. This is crazy.’ Hanne had tears in her eyes. Neither of them had expected his leaving to be an immediate wrench apart like this. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
He shook his head, too stunned to feel anything. ‘I’ll send you the work I’m not going to be able to finish. I guess keep that for whoever needs it. I’ll try to make some notes this afternoon.’
The rest of the day disappeared in a daze. He didn’t have much to pack, but Hanne helped him gather his things and found a box for him to use. They hugged, promising to keep in touch, then Mats left for the last time. He felt as if he were doing the walk of shame with his box. Like he’d done something wrong, and people were looking at him as if that’s exactly what had happened. It wasn’t the ending that he’d wanted, or deserved.
‘Hey,’ Lotta called out when she heard the door. She appeared from the bedroom where she had her desk set up, arguing that the living room was too distracting because of the view. ‘What’s in the box?’
He sat down heavily on the sofa, his head in his hands. ‘I’m out.’
‘What do you mean? I didn’t think you were ready to leave yet.’ She put an arm around his shoulders and bent down, trying to look at him.
‘I didn’t resign, I got made redundant.’
‘But… that doesn’t make any sense.’
He didn’t know what else to say. He felt her get up, but he felt too drained to move. She came back with two glasses and a bottle of whiskey. ‘Here,’ she said, pouring a small measure. ‘I think you’re in shock.’
He took the glass and downed it in one gulp, the liquid warming his chest and helping him feel less numb.
‘It’s what I wanted, but not yet.’ As well as his mind working overtime trying to figure out what this would mean for his finances, it was just so uncivilised, that’s what he couldn’t come to terms with. That all those years he’d worked there, the loyalty he’d shown counted for nothing in the end. All of it gone in the time it took Oskar to tell him. ‘They’re being bought out and they’ve given Ole my job,’ he said.
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘I don’t know why it’s upset me. I was leaving anyway.’ He tried to smile, but it wasn’t funny. It had broken his heart to be treated that way.
‘It’s a betrayal, however you look at it. And even resigning is a big step that you weren’t ready for. This is on a whole other level.’
He nodded.
