Unforgiving

by Patricia Haley

  Zarah answered after several rings. “Tamara, I am pleased you’ve called.”

  “Is Joel with you?”

  “No. He’s not returned.”

  Tamara rubbed her hand up and down the mug. “We need to talk.”

  “Would you like to come back for another visit today?”

  “Oh no,” Tamara blurted. “I mean, I would like to come for another visit, but not today. I’m a little tired.”

  “I understand.”

  “But I would like to come over soon,” Tamara responded.

  Zarah’s Indian accent didn’t cover up the disappointment in her tone. It was just as much of a disappointment for Tamara. She could definitely have used some face-to-face encouragement from someone who cared. Zarah was the only one who took her seriously and saw Tamara as a bona fide businesswoman capable of handling a company. Others in the family treated Tamara as a victim or a helpless youth. She couldn’t stand either label and would prove her worth by assuming power and running the company better than anyone ever had, including her mother, father, and brothers.

  “Let’s plan to get together real soon, kind of like a ladies’ day out,” Tamara suggested.

  “But I can’t go far from the house. The doctor has me on bed rest for the baby.”

  “That’s right. I didn’t forget. I meant that we could spend the afternoon together. I could bring some Indian food, and we can sit around and chat.”

  “Yes, that would be very nice.”

  “Then it’s a date. Call me when Joel is going to be out for a few hours.”

  “Joel won’t bother us.”

  “I’m sure he won’t, but it will be better if we let him go on his way.”

  Tamara’s plan wouldn’t work if Joel was around. He had to be out of the house in order for Tamara to explain candidly to Zarah how important the West Coast division was. Tamara’s future depended on Zarah’s willingness to sell the division. If Joel got wind of her request, he’d shut the visit down before they had a chance to exchange hellos. He couldn’t know. For the same reason, Zarah would have to keep quiet about all of it.

  “He’ll want you to stay very still, and I understand why,” Tamara explained. “But we always have a good time together. We can cheer each other up.”

  “Yes, that will be good.”

  “So, we better not mention this to him. Otherwise, he might want you to avoid too much excitement.”

  “Yes, this will be our secret.”

  Tamara breathed a sigh of relief. Those were just the words she wanted to hear. They ended the call, and Tamara beckoned the waitress.

  “Please bring me a fresh cup with lots of cream and only one shot of espresso.”

  “No double shot this round?”

  “Nope. Don’t need it,” she said, sliding the old mug toward the edge of the table. “I’m doing much better, much, much better.”

  Her mission to dethrone Joel was under way, and Tamara couldn’t be more pleased.

  Chapter 9

  Nearly a week flew by, and Madeline was eager to get her candidate confirmed and the selection business over and done. The emotional component of this process was already wearing on her.

  Joel appeared in her doorway, having been summoned by Madeline earlier that morning.

  “Come in,” she shouted as Joel stood at the threshold. “We have a lot of work to do if we’re going to nab this job for you.”

  “I’m ready,” he responded and grinned.

  Madeline seemed suddenly guarded. “Well, you better be, because I’m putting my name out there on your behalf. You better not fall short.”

  “I’m all in, and I won’t disappoint you.”

  Madeline motioned for him to meet her at the conference table, which was situated off to the side in her office. “You better not.” She halted in mid-step and hurled a stare at him that caused him to pause. “As the saying goes, don’t take my kindness for weakness. You know I’m not the one to mess with, Mr. Joel Mitchell.”

  Joel sensed that Madeline was serious, and he wasn’t going to get their partnership off to a shaky start. He would continue tiptoeing around her as his pride sat still. Pretty much whatever Madeline wanted, he was prepared and eager to deliver.

  Joel remained silent, and the tension seemed to dissipate. Both of them grabbed a seat at the table.

  “We have a week or two to lay out our strategy and get before the board,” Madeline told him as she put on her reading glasses and placed the notepad she’d been carrying on the table.

  Joel was perplexed. He had expected that they would meet with the board in four weeks or so. But then, of course, Madeline had a way of shaking people up and getting them to move much quicker than they’d planned. For many years, Joel was on the losing end of her influence. In those days he viewed her actions as manipulation. Sitting within arm’s reach of his champion, he decided that the term was less fitting.

  “You think we’ll be ready so quickly?” This meeting was huge for Joel. He couldn’t squander it by rushing in unprepared. “I was hoping for a few more weeks to prepare.”

  “What are you worried about? I’m the one who has to be ready. You just have to show up and keep your mouth shut when someone asks you a silly question. We can’t get caught up in deflecting questions about your wayward past. Heaven knows there’s plenty to talk about.”

  Joel didn’t find Madeline’s comments complimentary, but there was sufficient truth behind her words to keep him humbled. He let her continue.

  “You’ll have to work on getting very good at changing the subject. When the board raises questions about your tarnished character, we’ll aggressively steer them back to your successes. That’s where we want to direct their attention.”

  “Harmonious Energy is bound to be on the agenda,” Joel said, remembering how the deal had transpired with Musar Bengali, Zarah’s father.

  Musar had wanted a prominent husband for his only child, and Joel had wanted to take DMI international. Initially, it felt like Joel had gotten everything he wanted out of the deal. In fact, he had gotten too much. He hadn’t wanted to get married then, but Musar wouldn’t hear of selling off half his company and putting Joel in charge of day-to-day operations without including his daughter’s hand in marriage, especially since Musar was terminally ill. Given the benefits Joel saw in merging DMI and Harmonious Energy, getting married had seemed like a manageable sacrifice.

  Although there had been issues, Joel didn’t regret his decision to go after Harmonious Energy. He’d done it for the right reasons. His father had longed to expand the company and take it beyond the United States, but he hadn’t been able to make it happen. Joel did. The new company could have been a major force abroad. Unfortunately, he’d underestimated how offended the existing customer base would be by DMI partnering with a company that was founded on conflicting beliefs.

  “In hindsight, the merger idea was noble. Whether you believe it or not, I did it for a good reason,” Joel said letting his gaze plummet. “But in truth, my plan in executing the merger was flawed.”

  Madeline nodded in affirmation. “And we have to address it before we get to the meeting. We know the company doesn’t align with our values and thus it has to go. We know I’m not a holy-roller churchgoer, but that doesn’t mean I’m okay with worshipping every religion you drag through this place. Your dad believed in one God. I guess I do too. That means there’s no room in here for Zarah’s whole bag of gods. That’s why Harmonious Energy has to go.”

  “I agree, but it’s Zarah’s company. Lately, she’s been fixated on running Harmonious Energy in honor of her father. It might not be as easy to wrestle the company from her as we’d like it to be.”

  Madeline snatched off her glasses and shook them at Joel. “Well, you’d better find a way if you want to be CEO, because there’s no way I can convince the board to reappoint you if they’re going to get more of the same from you. Look, we have a tough enough job as it is to sell them on the notion that you’ve changed.
”

  “I have changed.”

  Madeline’s eyes widened as her gaze shifted away from Joel. “Humph. It’s hard for me to believe. So, I can imagine others will have a difficult time believing this overnight miracle.”

  “Apparently, you and the board members aren’t the only ones who doubt my sincerity.”

  “Who else?”

  “Tamara,” he said, grabbing Madeline’s attention as she looked up from writing on her notepad. “I ran into her last week, and she let me have it.”

  “Really—”

  “She was angry at me and Abigail for stealing the CEO role from her.”

  “I see,” Madeline said.

  Joel couldn’t tell if Madeline was shocked or not. Either way, that was her daughter. He wasn’t going to express his opinion about Tamara’s state of mind. Joel was concerned that Madeline might pull out if Tamara showed too much resistance to the idea of making him CEO. He was wading in deep waters, and his anxiety rose. “Does her reaction change the plan?”

  “Not mine. I can’t speak for you, but we’re proceeding as planned.”

  “You sure, because I’ve been honest with you.”

  “Joel, I told you that I’m going to back your candidacy. Unlike you, I have consistently kept my word.” He didn’t bother waging a defense. “People might not like what I have to say, but they will agree that I do what I say. You can take my word to the bank,” she said. “Hear me good. If Don’s out of the picture, then you’re the next best candidate for this job, period, end of discussion.”

  Joel kept his doubts concealed. He was forced to trust Madeline. She was the last person on earth Joel wanted to trust, which was precisely why he’d have to rely heavily on prayer and God’s intervention. He wasn’t on solid ground spiritually, but Joel was making an effort to reconnect with God for guidance.

  “Okay,” he said in total submission to her plan. “What’s next?”

  “Go home and convince that lovely wife of yours to sell her family’s business. Then expect to meet with me again in a few days.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “You’re going to have to do better than that. I suggest you work that Mitchell charm and get her to hand over the keys. I’ve seen how she looks at you. This shouldn’t be too difficult. Woo her, and she’ll step to your beat, just like the trail of other women you’ve encountered.”

  “Come on, Madeline.”

  “Oh, don’t get defensive now. Besides, this is a time when your womanizing skills will be an asset. So, go and work them,” she said, waving her hand in the air. Madeline got up from the table and went to her desk. “Make it happen, Joel. I’m still the founder of this company, and my clout will go a long ways with winning over the board, but you have to help me out here. Consider cleaning up the balance sheet as your first CEO project. If you take care of this problem, you’re as good as in.”

  “I’ll call you in a few days and give you an update on my progress,” he said.

  “Nah, don’t call me. I’ll call you. Just be ready when I call,” she said and picked up the phone.

  Joel rightfully took that as a sign to leave and exited her office quietly. Once he was gone, Madeline set the phone down. There wasn’t anyone she planned to call, but there was someone she wanted to talk to. Tamara’s comments replayed in her head. How could she choose Sherry’s child over her own? Madeline was certain Joel was the best fit for CEO of DMI. As much as her heart wanted to promote Tamara, rational reasoning wouldn’t dare let her make such a costly mistake. Her daughter needed years of mentoring, training, and experience to come close to being a viable candidate. Abigail would definitely have a better chance at succeeding in that role than Tamara, and Sherry probably would too. Love and wisdom continued dueling within her as Madeline anguished over the situation. She was weakening when it came to Tamara, but she would be sure not to give Joel any indication of that in the next few days.

  Madeline was tired of fretting. She picked up the phone to call her assistant. Agonizing for another couple of weeks was unacceptable. “Can you come in here? I need you to set up a few calls for me right away.” The quicker their mess was over, the better.

  Chapter 10

  Several days later the smaller conference room on the executive floor was filled with three of the six board members who weren’t members of the Mitchell family. Madeline had managed to coerce them into showing up early in the morning by telling them that she would be presenting plans for a major structural change. In actuality, there was some truth to her appeal. The one detail she’d neglected to share about the meeting was the name Joel Mitchell. It was reason she hadn’t called for a full board meeting. Joel was a “structural change” which was bound to stimulate controversy that Madeline wasn’t prepared to handle. She’d opted to deal with a sample-size reaction to her proposal to determine just how steep a hill they’d have to climb before Joel’s behind could jump into the CEO seat again.

  “Can you please tell Don to meet me in the small conference room?” Madeline told her assistant as she walked into the hallway. Then she sashayed serenely into the conference room despite the fact that this group was a pack of wolves eager to pounce on the weak. She ought to know as Madeline was the ringleader in the boardroom on most occasions.

  “I’m glad the three of you could join us on such short notice,” she said, leaving the seat at the head of the table open for Don and walking to the other end of the room before sitting.

  “What’s this meeting about, Madeline?” one board member asked.

  “Yes, we’re quite curious to know why you have called us here,” another member added.

  “I thought you wanted to speak with me directly,” the third board member said. “I didn’t realize you were calling a full board meeting.”

  “Oh, no,” Madeline said quickly. “This isn’t a full meeting. Excluding Don and me, all seven members would have to be duly notified, and we didn’t have time to do that.”

  She wouldn’t dare call a full meeting when there was so much uncertainty. There was another reason Madeline had handpicked a smaller group for her unorthodox meeting. Tamara had been given the empty seat on the board when Joel stepped down earlier in the year. At the time it made perfect sense but not now. Calling a full session of the board would require that Tamara be notified, and there was no way the meeting would have a positive outcome for Madeline, Joel, or Don if that happened. Madeline had always wanted her children to have a voice at the head table. In theory, it was a noble goal. In practice, it had Madeline stressed, and she didn’t like the feeling.

  “Let’s get moving. I have another meeting in an hour,” the second board member stated.

  Normally, Madeline would rip into anyone who was keen on rushing her meeting, but she would soon be beholden to this group. Soft words and a good attitude were her recipe for success.

  “We’ll get started shortly. Just waiting on Don,” she said. As soon as she made that statement, he arrived. “Perfect timing, son. I saved the seat for you down at that end.” She noticed the scowl on his face and sensed his confusion. She knew the source. Madeline hadn’t bothered to mention the meeting to Don until the very last minute. He was coming in cold like others in the room.

  The greetings between Don and the board members were rapid and curt.

  “Mother, I have clients coming in this afternoon. What’s the purpose of this?” he said, remaining standing.

  Madeline motioned for him to take a seat. “All right, everyone. I understand that you have other obligations. So we’ll get right to the heart of this meeting and keep it short.”

  Bewilderment was evident in each stare hurled her way.

  “There is a structural change on the horizon for DMI, and it will require the board’s approval,” Madeline announced.

  Don took a seat.

  “What’s the nature of this change?” board member number three asked.

  “Our beloved Don is stepping down,” Madeline revealed. Amid the chat
ter that broke out, she added, “That means we have to find a new CEO.”

  “I’m sure we can get the appropriate search firm to provide a shortlist of distinguished candidates for the post,” board member number one said.

  Madeline shook her head. “No need. We have a candidate.”

  “We have two candidates,” Don added.

  “Yes, we have two candidates,” Madeline said, looking at Don and then quickly shifting her gaze back to the group. “One is more experienced than the other and has a proven track record of success.”

  Don groaned. “Mother, don’t you think that’s a bit of an exaggeration?”

  “Absolutely not, my candidate has proven that he can deliver unprecedented sales figures.”

  The sidebar conversations intensified.

  “We need a strong successor,” one board member commented.

  “Agreed. We’ve suffered a tumultuous year, and we have to regain a solid footing in the marketplace,” another board member added.

  “If there’s a candidate who can step in, once Don leaves and keep us in the winner’s circle, you’ll have my vote,” board member number one commented.

  “Mine too,” another board member added.

  “Who is this fascinating candidate? Do we know this person?” one of the board members asked.

  Madeline avoided all eye contact and remained silent.

  Don jumped in. “Oh, you know him,” he said, snickering.

  The board members waited in anticipation for Madeline to reveal the candidate’s identity, but she couldn’t utter his name. It was too dicey. It was equivalent to pedaling a bike into oncoming traffic. The outcome wasn’t likely to be positive. Yet this was the predicament she found herself in. She was about to shout out the name, but Don beat her to it.

  “It’s Joel,” he announced.

  “Joel Mitchell?” one of the board members asked.

  “One and the same,” Don said. “Abigail Gerard is the other candidate.”

  His smirk irritated Madeline, but what could she do? The room had grown silent, but now chatter erupted once again. Madeline didn’t jump in immediately to squelch the uproar. She’d give them a minute to digest the announcement, and then she’d proceed with clearer vision once the electrifying shock wore off.