by Ali Parker
“Good morning,” Mikey said, tumbling out of his room.
“Good morning, sweetie,” I said going over and kissing his cheek. “You’re all ready for school. Good job.”
“Miss Caroline, my babysitter, she likes it when I’m ready ahead of time so I don’t have to rush through breakfast,” he said. “Sometimes, I have enough time to watch a cartoon before school.”
“Miss Caroline is absolutely right about that.” I smiled.
“Where is she?”
“I gave her the morning off,” I said. “She’ll be here when you get home from school. It’s Friday, so you need to come right in and get that homework done so we can have a nice weekend together without worrying about any of that.”
“I will,” he groaned. “Though I don’t know if I’ll have any because I finished most of my assignments early.”
“Good for you,” I said. “Did you do them carefully so you don’t make silly mistakes?”
“I did,” he said proudly. “I even went back through and double-checked them.”
“Good.” I smiled, plating his food.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Why aren’t you going to work today?”
I sat the plate of food down in front of him and stood there, trying to think about what I should say to him. He was a smart young man, and it was getting to the point where hiding the truth was more difficult by the day. I loved him so much, though, and I wanted what was best for him. I rubbed my hand through his messy hair.
“I’m going in today. I just needed to think about some things first,” I said.
“Like the other company?”
“How did you know about that?” I said with surprise.
“I heard you talking to Dalton on the phone last night,” he said.
“I’ll have to close your door tighter at night.” I chuckled. “The truth is I am trying to do right by you. I want to give you everything in the world, and at Truitt, it will take me a while until I can do that. This new company is offering me the immediate ability to do so.”
“But you told me not everything should be done just because you want something right now,” he said.
I smiled. “You’re right,” I said. “I did tell you that.”
“Mom, I’m really happy. I have everything I have ever wanted, except maybe a real rocket,” he said. “I don’t need anything else.”
“That’s because you’re a really amazing person,” I said. “But there are things in life that you don’t even know are out there that I could offer to you and give you a chance to have an even better life.”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m happy all the time, and I don’t ever think about the things I don’t have. I love you, Mom. I want you to be happy. You have always done for me and Grandma, and Dalton, but you never think about you. I think its time you did something that really made you happy.”
“I am happy when you’re happy,” I said, kissing his cheek. “I don’t know what else I could ask for in life.”
“Maybe a nice new dress for work or a vacation,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Or maybe a new car since yours is a hundred years old.”
“I don’t need a new car.” I laughed. “I just need you.”
“I can’t carry you to work, Mom,” he said with a giggle.
“I know.” I laughed. “Grab your bag. Your bus will be here soon.”
He hopped down with bacon in his mouth and grabbed his book bag. I walked him down to the entrance of the apartment complex and waited for the bus with him. He waved from the window as it drove off, and I smiled before turning and going back upstairs. I cleaned up from breakfast, thinking about my choices and what Mikey had said. I wish I could take the advice of a ten-year-old, but being happy wasn’t something that was going to play into my decision-making process. I knew if I stayed at Truitt Marketing and didn’t get any kind of raise, I wouldn’t be able to keep my mother on life support much longer. I was the only person she had left, and if I couldn’t keep up with her care, she would become a ward of the state. As a ward, they would make the decision for me, deciding the best course of action based on the doctor’s recommendation. I knew what the doctor’s recommendation would be too.
They wouldn’t hesitate to pull the plug on my mother, and there would be nothing I could do to stop it. I looked down at my watch and sighed, getting up and heading to the shower. When I was out and dressed, I stood in front of the full-length mirror looking at myself. My suit was perfectly pressed, my hair pulled back at the nape of my neck, and my make-up was smooth but professional. I had put on my mother’s string of pearls for good luck, knowing I had to be in the presentation that day, and no matter what kind of choices I was trying to make, I wanted to make sure the client was happy and we blew the ad out of the water. Elon was angry at me, but that didn’t change the way I felt about him. I wanted to see him succeed, and I wanted to know his job was secure with the board.
I headed out of the apartment and off to work, feeling the nerves creeping up in my stomach all over again. When I got to the top, I looked over at the conference room and saw Elon in there getting the clients all settled in. He was getting ready to start the presentation, so I dropped my bags in my office and hurried over. Dalton was standing outside, and he patted me on the back.
“Good luck in there,” he whispered.
“Thanks,” I said, shaking my head. “I need more than luck right now.”
I opened the door to the conference room and walked in, smiling as everyone looked over at me. Elon looked surprised to see me, but he quickly locked the shocked face away and smiled. He reached out his arm, calling me over to him.
“Sorry, I’m late.” I smiled.
“Gentlemen, this is the amazing and talented Amanda Taylor. She’s my ad manager and the legs behind this whole project,” Elon said, introducing me. “Amanda why don’t you start us off by telling the guys how we came up with the ideas for the project.”
I cleared my head and stepped forward, putting everything else out of mind and wooing the clients with my expertise and my easy-going personality, something I hadn’t seen come out in a while. I explained every aspect of the project from how the initial ideas were brainstormed, the preliminary board drawings, and all the way to the finished project. Elon got up after me and explained what we were trying to capture with the entire project.
“So, you see, gentlemen,” Elon said, wrapping it up. “We chose this design because it not only catches the eye of those with money but it also catches the eye of your normal reader, showing them that they, too, can be luxurious and covered in Cartier. It is an appeal to the masses. What do you think?”
Elon and I stood at the front staring out at the men who were all whispering to each other. I couldn’t read their faces or their lips, for that matter, so I had no idea what they were feeling. That small moment of time felt like it was ten years, but finally, after several moments, the CEO started clapping.
“Elon, you bastard, you’ve done it,” he said. “We love everything about this ad. I have to say, we were initially looking to only focus on those with deep pockets, but I think this ad appeals to both sides. Why shouldn’t the house mom from the west side have the opportunity to be drenched in Cartier luxury? And at the same time, it calls to our main customer base, reminding them that luxury is just around the corner. I love it.”
“That is amazing news,” he said, letting out a deep breath. “We really went full force with this campaign, and we can’t wait to see what your company does with it. We’ll get together the other departments and set up a meeting to get the launch date set up for you.”
“Sounds fantastic,” he said, standing up and shaking both of our hands. “I look forward to working with you on many future projects.”
“Of course,” Elon said, nodding his head and watching as the men left, shutting the door behind them.
Elon chuckled and shook his head, standing in front of the table and leaning forward on
his fists. I could see the relief on his face and his shoulders begin to relax. I smiled and stepped forward, putting my hand on his shoulder. He looked over at me and I retracted, taking in a deep breath.
“You came,” he said.
“Of course, I did,” I said. “I told you I didn’t know what I was going to do, and I wouldn’t just leave you high and dry like that.”
“Look, Amanda,” he said, standing up. “I really appreciate you being here, I really do. It made a huge impression on them, and what you said and how you spoke during the meeting was amazing. I knew you had it in you all along.”
“Thank you.” I smiled.
“That being said, I just don’t know if I can keep you here at the company, especially if you’re going to leave,” he said.
He was still angry, and I wasn’t sure why I thought he wouldn’t be. I had told him I may be leaving him and his company all over money. If I were him, I might be hurt too.
“I’ll be in my office,” he said sadly.
I watched as he walked out of the room and over to his office where Mr. Hayworth was standing. I didn’t know what they were saying, but they exchanged a few words, and Elon nodded his head, turning and walking to the elevators. Mr. Hayworth crossed over through the pit and into the conference room. I stood up and straightened my skirt.
“Miss Taylor,” he said, shaking my hand. “I need you to come with me. You need to be in the room for this meeting for the board.”
Chapter 23
Elon
“The board would like to see you,” Clayton said, standing outside my office.
“They’re here now?”
“Yes, on the twelfth floor,” he said. “I’ll be behind you in a moment.”
“All right,” I said, turning and walking to the elevator.
I felt good about the meeting. Everything had gone just as they’d wanted. I knew Clayton, though, and I knew he would have something up his sleeve if he could possibly manage it. He was a snake, and he would stop at nothing to get my seat at the head of the table. I knew what he would do then. He would run the business a little longer and then sell it off in pieces, making sure his collector’s fee was higher than my portion. I couldn’t let that happen, no matter what the board was about to tell me. I entered the elevator, glancing over as the doors shut, seeing Clayton talking to Amanda. What would he want with Amanda? He knew exactly how the meeting had gone and was in contact with Cartier as soon as they left the conference room.
I shrugged it off and walked out onto the twelfth floor, nodding at the secretary sitting in the front. That was the project department, the people who took the ads and put them all into motion. That was going to be where Cartier went next, but I wasn’t worried about that part of it. We were in contact with some of the best arenas in the world for our advertising efforts. I walked into the boardroom and greeted the members, taking my seat at the head. Everyone sat around exchanging glances, writing notes in their notepads, and waiting for the meeting to begin. I got up from the table and grabbed myself a bottle of water from the stand, clearing my throat and feeling more than awkward in the silence of the room. I could feel that dread sinking down in my stomach, left over from the last time I’d met with the board and had been hit out of nowhere with an ultimatum. I had proven everyone wrong, including Clayton, but for some reason, the air in the room seemed thick and unsure.
We waited several moments for Clayton to arrive. As he walked through the door, I choked a little watching Amanda walking in behind him and taking a seat at the table in an empty chair. She looked terrified, and I didn’t blame her, but I knew if Clayton tried to mess with her, he would have to go through me first. When Clayton was seated, everyone sat up straight ready to begin.
“Elon,” Eliza, one of the oldest board members on staff said. “It’s good to see you today.”
“You too.” I smiled. “All of you, in fact.
I glanced over at Clayton who was sitting in his chair with his arms crossed. He wasn’t saying a word, which was unusual since he was primarily the speaker for the group. He looked pissed, though, and I knew it was because we had done such a bang-up job with our new client. He knew that his plan had fallen apart, and until he found something else to hang over my head, he wasn’t going to get to me anytime soon. He was a bastard, and I enjoyed seeing him absolutely miserable. When the time was right, I was going to make sure to get him kicked off the board and send him back from whatever fiery hell he came from. For then, though, I had to make do with what I had in front of me.
“First, let me ask you, how do you think the whole process went for this Cartier ad?” Eliza asked kindly.
“Honestly? It was a struggle at first for me. I can see why you wanted me to get back in there and get my hands dirty,” I said. “However, after talking with Amanda, the manager, and getting a feel for what I needed to do, the ball really started rolling. Not only do I think we handled every challenge with tenacity and valor, I think the whole process helped me grow as an owner of this company. I can’t take the credit, though. That team is killer, and once you get them going, there’s no limit to what they can achieve. The same goes for Amanda. She has created one hell of a team, who, despite our slightly rough start, welcomed me with open arms.”
“Well, that’s what I thought you would say.” Eliza smiled. “We talked to Cartier, and they were ecstatic. They said they hadn’t seen that kind of quality and professionalism from all of you, from any company, in about three decades. They loved what you did with the project, how you understood that the economy dictates who the sellers focus their ads on. How you managed to capture their normal clientele as well as new and everyday people who could be future clients of the company.”
“Thank you, Eliza,” I said. “Like I said, though, it was a team effort.”
“I agree,” Eliza said. “But what we were looking for was for you to step up, be the leader all of us knew you could be. You didn’t see me, but I snuck down to the floor the other day and saw you in action, and I have to admit, it felt like the first month this company hit the stock market. The energy, the excitement, and the work ethic were higher than I have seen them in years.”
“It felt that way to me too,” I said. “It was probably the best I’ve felt about the company in years.”
“We took notice when you finally captured Cartier’s attention. We don’t want you to think that we didn’t,” she said. “That client has been on our wish list since day one, and no one in this room has been able to snag them. I have to say, though, it wasn’t for a lack of trying.”
The board members laughed, and I smiled, feeling a sense of pride that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Clayton sat over in the chair snickering and shaking his head. My eyes shifted to Amanda who was sitting there, her expression less fearful but her eyes refusing to meet with mine. I knew she was upset. I knew she was confused, but that was going to have to wait until after the meeting.
“For all of those reasons, and more, we have decided to allow you to stay as CEO and operating owner of this company,” Eliza said.
“That is fantastic,” I said, letting out a deep breath. “This company has always been my life, even before there was a need for a board. I gave up my ability to make all decisions for this company and implemented this board because I had the utmost faith that you would do what was best for us. You have, once again, proven that slander and misleading allegations of any kind will not go without thorough investigation. You take the company’s well-being over that of your own, and for that, I thank you.”
“Of course,” Eliza said. “That is why there’s a board, so that we may thoroughly assess all issues and find the right course of action.”
“In a way, this was all a blessing in disguise, something I can thank Clayton for,” I said, nodding to him with a smirk. “If he hadn’t pushed me to the brink, forcing your hand into making an ultimatum, then I wouldn’t have found the passion for this company again. I wouldn’t be ready to go out there and take the b
ull by the horns and make things happen. I will now always be a part of the full production of our ads, knowing the people, knowing the process, and getting my hands in there every time it’s needed.”
“There’s one stipulation to your newfound absolution,” Clayton said, sitting forward. “In order to keep your position, you’re going to have to do it the way that we see fit.”
“All right,” I said. “And what would that be?”
“You’re going to have to work alongside Miss Taylor on all ads that come in and out of this company,” he said. “She’s the roots of the department, and without her, well, we can’t be sure you’ll be motivated enough to stay on track.”
“Right,” I said, my stomach dropping.
I looked over at Amanda, and her eyes grew wide, knowing full well there was a possibility she was going to be leaving the company. I knew Clayton had something to do with that, and he knew she might be leaving, so he’d obviously made the choice to put this stipulation in place. I cleared my throat and addressed the board.
“I do have one question,” I said. “What if Miss Taylor leaves the company or becomes ill and unable to perform her duties?”
“You better hope that doesn’t happen,” Clayton said with a smile. “We feel that if she leaves, it would be better to transition at that point and choose our own suitable replacement.”
“I think it’s unwise to put that kind of pressure on her,” I said.
“I understand the terms,” she said standing up and interrupting the argument. “I understand completely what you’re looking for. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to get done.”
“Of course,” Eliza said, looking at Amanda. “Thank you for joining us. And the rest of you, if that is all, we can head on out for lunch.”
I stood up and shook each of the board members hands, turning away as Clayton approached. I waited until they were all gone and beat my fists down on the table. This was a bit more complicated than I had assumed it would be. I was sideswiped again by Clayton, and he was still up to no good. I walked back to the elevators and rode them to my floor, thinking about what just happened. Sure, I was relieved that I got to keep my position for another day, but how long would that last when I couldn’t even speak to Amanda? If she did stay, if she stayed and saved my job, I didn’t know what our relationship would be like. There had been a lot since our dinner date and even more words spoken in anger. Things were not okay between us, and I wasn’t sure I could make them okay.
