by Renee Hart
“I don't see any way around it,” Shea said. “Look, I know this situation sucks. And I'm sorry that I dragged you into this. I really am. But it's just for a couple of weeks. I'll tell you what...maybe I can pull some strings, get you an extended Christmas vacation. Tell everyone we're taking a trip for the holidays. That would be an easy way to explain you not being around, so that you can avoid digging yourself any deeper.”
“Do you think that would work?”
“It's the only solution I can think of. The factory is closing early this week for the holiday anyway, right? I'll get you the whole week off. We do brunch with Jeb this Wednesday, then we have to at least make an appearance on Friday for Christmas, then after that, I'll make sure you have paid vacation until New Year's. I owe you that much. Then when you get back to work after New Year's, you tell your friends whatever you need to...that we had a fight during the Christmas break and we ended up breaking up. And that you're too depressed to talk about it. At least until enough time passes that you can brush it all under the rug.”
“That...might work,” Jane said. “I mean, I guess.”
“If there's anything else I can do, you just let me know. But right now, I really need to go. This presentation needs to happen.”
“All right,” Jane said. “Good luck.”
“Thanks. I'll call you later today, after I figure out the rest of this.”
They hung up, and Jane hid in the bathroom for awhile longer, trying to steady herself. By the time she got herself together and got out of the bathroom, the lunch break was over. Which was fine by her. She managed to avoid talking to her coworkers for anything not work related for the rest of the day, then she hurried home as soon as her shift ended.
When she got home, she poured herself a glass of wine and sat in her living room, staring at the stack of boxes she still hadn't opened, with all of the fancy, expensive clothes Shea had paid for.
Just a brunch, then a Christmas visit, she told herself. Two more social calls with her fake fiance on her arm. She could do this.
She finished off half a bottle of wine that night, trying to convince herself that she could do it.
Chapter 16
Shea's proposal went about as smoothly as could be expected. He noticed the old man nodding thoughtfully a few times during the presentation, particularly when Shea brought up the variety of cost-cutting measures he had come up with that could help the company thrive without being forced to do anything extreme, like laying off workers. It was a solid, stable plan, one which worked to build sales back up gradually over the course of five years, with a minimum of risk.
After Shea's presentation, James began his. Shea sat quietly and watched, while James listed what Shea believed to be a far riskier series of steps. James's recommendation involved shutting down a few of the less productive and less profitable facilities, including the factory in Philadelphia where Jane worked, and condensing resources into the more profitable locations.
“By streamlining our operations in this way,” James said towards the end of his proposal, “Gordon Orthopedics will be able to increase overall output while cutting costs dramatically. With the new resources shifted into our prime locations, we'll be able to increase quotas at a fraction of the labor cost. And moving forward, we can improve production even further by investing in new advancements in automation that could one day double or even triple our output.”
Shea wanted to stand up and protest. The idea of cutting so many people's jobs just to save costs was despicable to him. And while a certain amount of automation was good for productivity, he knew from his experience on the factory tours that there were certain jobs that simply needed a human being's delicate touch.
Mass-produced goods worked fine for certain products in their line, such as the surgical tools that were the same no matter which doctor or hospital used them. But automation was impractical when it came to custom-fit orthotics that needed to be carefully and individually sculpted to meet each person's needs. James's proposal seemed to be geared towards removing the more costly and time-consuming products from their company's line, the products that were most important to quality patient care, and instead focusing on high value, low cost products that were more profitable. It went against everything Shea believed the company was supposed to stand for.
After both proposals were complete, Jeb said, “Thank you, gentlemen. I'll look over the rest of the information in your proposals over the holiday break. You'll have my decision on the first day of the new year.”
James tucked his papers into his briefcase and left, along with the other executives. Shea lingered, trying to decide if he could bring up his concerns about James's proposal, without making it look like he was trying to pressure Jeb into siding with Shea instead. He didn't want there to be any possibility that Jeb would be accused of favoritism for his grandson. But he also didn't want to let the company fall into the hands of a man who would so callously lay off hundreds of workers just to increase profit margins.
Jeb leaned back in his chair, grinning at Shea. “So, how's that fiance of yours?”
Shea kept his concerns tucked away and he forced a happy smile onto his face. “She's good. Doing great. We've been making plans for the holidays. Going to take some time off together after Christmas.”
“That's good. Really great.” Jeb slapped a hand on the table, an excited look on his face. “So, when are you two going to give me some great-grandchildren.”
“Come on, Pops,” Shea said, shaking his head and chuckling. “We're not even married yet. Give us some time.”
“You're not getting any younger, boy,” Jeb said. “Trust me on this one. You're in the perfect position in life to start a family. You've got a good career, you've got a wonderful woman, and you're still not too old to be able to keep up with the little rascals once they start running around and making your life wonderfully difficult.” He looked up at the ceiling, his eyes taking on the wistful look of a man remembering days gone by. “Children will change your life, Shea. Trust me on this.”
“I really want to focus on figuring out the company's future first,” Shea said. “I mean, for all I know, you're going to give the job to James, and he'll fire me the next day.” He smiled, half-joking, though he knew that his career wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon if James became the CEO.
“Don't worry about that just yet,” Jeb said. “One way or the other, I'll make sure you're taken care of, you know that. I can't have the father of my future great-grandchildren end up out on the streets, now can I?”
Shea wanted to ask about all the other parents who might end up on the streets if they ended up getting laid off after the factories shut down. But instead he got up, clapped his grandfather on the shoulder, and said, “I'll see you Wednesday morning, Pops. Take care of yourself, okay?”
He headed back to his office and sat at his desk, staring out the windows that looked over Philadelphia. For a moment, he wondered what kind of job he might get if he weren't working at his grandfather's company. He couldn't begin to imagine what it would be. He had never had any other job, or any other aspirations in life beyond following in his grandfather's footsteps. And now his dreams rested on the decisions of an old man he was lying to, a man who wanted nothing more than to see the birth of great-grandchildren who would never exist, because the relationship Jeb was so excited for was nothing but a farce.
Chapter 17
Wednesday morning, Jane finally dug through the boxes of expensive clothes that she hadn't touched since they were delivered. She picked out one of the simplest outfits she could find, with black pants, a beige blouse, and a tan jacket that flared out at the hips. After she was dressed, she sat and waited for her fake fiance to arrive to pick her up, her stomach churning with nervousness the entire time.
Her doorbell rang. She answered it and found Shea standing there with a bouquet of flowers.
“Oh,” she said. “Oh, my. What are these for?”
She took the flowers, inha
ling their sweet scent, then left the door open for Shea while she headed into the kitchen to put them in some water.
“An apology,” Shea said. “Or, a thank you, for everything you're doing. Maybe a little of both.”
“Well, they're beautiful,” she said, smiling at him. “Thank you so much.”
She set the flowers on the kitchen table, then spent a moment arranging them. It had been a long time since any man had given her flowers. She just wished the man in question wasn't her employer.
“Today should be a breeze,” Shea said as they headed to the car. “I checked with my grandfather, and he said it'll just be the four of us. So there shouldn't be nearly as much stress. Though you might have to deal with him and Anna asking when the babies are on their way.”
Jane rolled her eyes. “Great, so it'll be like having lunch with my mother.”
Shea chuckled as he opened the car door for her. “Sometimes I swear, if I ever do have kids, I'll hide them from my family until they're teenagers, just to get back at them for hounding me for the last ten years.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Jane said.
They drove to Jebediah's house, a large but modest home on the waterfront not far from Philadelphia. Brunch was served on the spacious deck out back, in view of the river. There was a small private dock there with a fishing boat tied to it, and the cool December breeze brought the fresh scent of the water over from the river.
“We were planning to eat in the sun room,” Anna said as she set out the food trays. “But it looks like we're getting the last nice day of the year.”
“I'd rather see a white Christmas,” Jeb said. “But I suppose I don't mind not freezing my butt off.”
“It's really beautiful out here,” Jane said, looking out over the water. The breeze coming in off the water was enough to make her shiver, even in her jacket, but when the breeze died down the warm sun overhead made up for it. “Do you do a lot of fishing?”
“Every summer,” Jeb said. “Been getting harder to keep up with it the older I get, but there's nothing better than being out there on the water.”
“We used to go out all the time when I was a kid,” Shea said. “Me and my cousins. We always fought over whose turn it was to drive the boat.”
“He let you drive?” Jane asked, her eyebrows shooting up. “How old were you?”
“He used to sit on my lap and steer when he was this big,” Jeb said, holding his hand up at the height of a six year old. “When he was old enough to reach the steering wheel on his own, I let him do it by himself.”
“That's crazy,” Jane said, laughing and shaking her head.
“Nah,” Jeb said, waving a hand dismissively. “When you're down in the bay, there's nothing to run into. You don't need to worry about running off the road or anything. Just need to watch the wake when you pass near smaller boats.”
Jeb nodded to Jane, a big grin on his face. “You fish?”
“Oh, no. I've never even been on a boat.”
“Well,” Jeb said, “you two have to come out this summer. It'll be great.”
“I don't know...” Jane said, giving Shea a worried look. She didn't want to start making promises that she already knew she couldn't keep.
“We'll be happy to,” Shea said. He reached over and patted her on the knee.
Jane sighed. Jeb looked so happy at the idea. She hated to break his heart.
They spent the rest of the morning chatting and getting to know each other. But inevitably, as brunch started to come to a close, the conversation turned to business. Shea started listing some of the ideas he had for the changes he was hoping to make to the company, while Jeb nodded thoughtfully, listening to his ideas. After this had gone on for a little bit, Jeb started to look a bit impatient.
“Look, my boy,” Jeb said, “I understand you want to catch this bit in your teeth and run with it. But I already told you, I'm not making a decision yet. I need to think this over and decide what's best for the company.”
Jane knew it wasn't really her place to get involved with this discussion, but she couldn't help speaking up. “What about what's best for your workers?” she asked.
“What's best for the company is what's best for the workers,” Jeb said.
“Is that what you say to all the people who got laid off?” Jane crossed her arms, looking away and frowning.
“Look, no one likes laying people off. I know sometimes it seems like the management doesn't care, but we do.” Jeb opened another beer, leaning back in his chair. “But the fact of the matter is, sometimes we have to lay some people off. Otherwise, the whole company gets shut down. Then everyone loses their job.”
“Well, that's a small comfort to people who are living paycheck to paycheck just to keep up with the rent,” Jane said.
“Look, my dear,” Jeb said, setting his beer down and leaning forward, his elbows propped on the table. “I'm not the bad guy here. I do the best that I can. I've always tried to offer people fair pay. You get benefits, and we have an excellent pension and 401k plan. It would be one thing if I was tossing people to the curb just to maximize profits and line my own pockets. But I'm not. Hell, I took one hell of a pay cut in the last five years myself, trying to keep the company going strong. But how would you feel if you were the one who had to decide between telling a hundred people they're losing their lobs, versus telling thousands of others that all of their jobs are on the line. Because sometimes that's the decision you have to make. Frankly, it's the decision I need to make right now, and it's not a pretty one.”
“I...I'm sorry,” Jane said, shaking her head. She felt her eyes start to water, but she didn't want to let herself cry in front of Jeb. Or Shea, for that matter. “I know it's not simple. But I also know that when all those layoffs went through last spring, I was in serious risk of ending up on the streets. In March there was a point where I had to hold off paying my rent until my tax return came through, because I couldn't afford it. And a few weeks later I spent a week visiting my parents for dinner every other night just because I had no food at home and I was down to thirty dollars in my checking account, and I needed the free meals. Maybe you're right and I don't know what it's like to make the tough decisions you need to make.” She pushed back her chair and stood up. “But you don't know what it's like to make too much money to qualify for food stamps, but not enough money to actually feed yourself.”
She walked away, heading into the house to find the bathroom. She needed someplace she could be alone for a moment, and she had to get out of sight before she started to cry.
She must have taken the wrong hallway when she went into the house, because after opening three doors, she had found a closet, a study, and a bedroom, but no bathroom. She went into the bedroom anyway and found a box of tissues sitting on the night stand. She sat on the edge of the bed, dabbing at her eyes while she tried to get her tears to stop flowing. She wasn't doing a very good job, and tears were still streaming down her cheeks a few minutes later when Shea walked into the room.
“Hey,” he said, standing in the door way and watching her hesitantly. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” Jane said, holding back a sob. “No. I don't know.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Shea walked over and sat next to her, putting an arm gingerly around her shoulders. He held himself tensely for a moment, as if he were afraid to touch her, unsure of whether he was crossing a line.
Jane leaned her head against his shoulder. When she moved closer, he relaxed into the embrace and started rubbing her shoulder. “I just feel like I'm messing everything up. I know I wasn't supposed to start an argument with your grandfather. I'm here to help you make a good impression on him, and instead I start yelling at him.”
“Don't worry yourself about that. Jeb isn't mad at you. He seems upset that he upset you. I think he's worried that you don't like him.”
Jane chuckled in between sobs. “He's a sweet man. I don't know what got into me. I guess it's just that we're from t
wo different worlds.”
Shea turned to face her, reaching up to cup her cheek in his hand. “Sometimes I think it's good for people to get a look into someone else's world. You can discover amazing things that you never thought possible.”
Jane sniffled, looking into Shea's eyes. Sometimes he said things that were so sweet, she almost forgot about the weird situation they were in. Moments when she wanted to forget all about the charade, and pretend they were just a man and a woman, getting the chance to share each other's worlds.
She was silent for a long moment. Her gaze flicked down to his lips. She took a shuddering breath.
Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.
He returned the kiss for a moment, his hand sliding into her hair as he held her close. Then he tensed up and pulled back. “Oh God,” he said. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...” He got up and took a few steps away.
“It's okay,” she said, smiling bashfully at him.
“No, it's really not,” he said. “I can't take advantage of you like that. Not considering...”
“Considering you're paying me?” A wry grin spread on Jane's lips. “Yeah, that would be pretty bad. But you didn't do anything wrong.”
“Are you sure?”
“I'm sure,” she said. “We just had...a moment of weakness.”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his hands nervously on his pants. Jane looked up at him, and their eyes met. For just a second, she thought they might have another moment of weakness.
Then Anna stuck her head in the door. “You two okay? I was going to serve coffee, but I wanted to make sure...”
“I'm fine,” Jane said, wiping her eyes. “I'm sorry I made a scene. I didn't mean to.”
“Oh, dear, you didn't do anything wrong,” Anna said. She rubbed Jane's arm, smiling at her. “Trust me, I know where you come from. I spent a long time working for crap wages before I found my job working for Jeb. And before we got married, of course.” She chuckled.
