Married This Year 3: Adventures In Hiring

by Tracey Pedersen

He glanced at his watch. “Yes, she won’t land for hours yet. You said it was urgent, what’s wrong?”

  “There was a fire in her block of units.”

  “Oh shit. Is it bad?”

  “Yeah. There’s not much left. I’m her emergency contact so the landlord called me an hour ago.”

  “Jesus.” He ran his fingers through his hair. Emily would be devastated when she found out. He’d seen how house proud she was, always adding touches here and there to make her feel more at home.

  “Do you have a number for wherever she was going?”

  “I do, hang on.” He flicked through a folder on her desk and then his hand stilled. “Jordan, what about Andrew?”

  “You won’t believe it but it was Andrew who raised the alarm. They would have lost a lot more of the building if someone hadn’t heard him screaming out for help. They managed to break the door down and save him. Apparently the neighbours thought it was a person calling out.”

  Cooper snickered. “I shouldn’t laugh, but that sounds like Andrew.”

  “Yeah. They told me he was actually screaming, ‘Help! Help!’ at the top of his lungs.”

  Cooper laughed outright then. “Well, I’m glad he’s okay. I can’t find the damn number for the Mildura office, Jordan, I’ll have to come back to you.”

  “Okay, if you could call me back, that’d be great. Andrew lost a few feathers and he’s been very quiet so I need to talk to her to know what to do.”

  “Do you think he’d be okay to travel in the car?”

  “I can’t see why not. Why?”

  “I’m seriously considering driving up to the office and telling her in person. I’d take the bird so she can see first hand that he’s okay. I’m going to guess he’s pretty stressed and maybe seeing her would be best for him.”

  Jordan giggled to herself and Cooper rolled his eyes before she spoke. “That’s a really nice thing to do. You’ve got it bad for her, haven’t you?”

  “You got me.” He laughed. “I’ll give you my number. If you can text me your address I’ll come and get him and then I’ll leave straight away. Can you stop trying her phone? If she lands and has twenty missed calls she’ll freak out.”

  “She’s a big girl, Cooper. She’ll handle this. It’s just stuff she’s lost, it can all be replaced.”

  “I know. I just don’t want her to have to handle the news alone.”

  ***

  Five hours in the car with Andrew turned out to be the worst idea Cooper had ever had. The bird had been droopy when he’d picked him up, but he’d gone to the pet store and bought new seed and a special container that wouldn’t spill his water in the car. After a few minutes of eating quietly in the corner of his cage, he’d walked across the perch and looked sideways at Cooper.

  “How are you doing, mate? Your wing looks a bit funny where you lost those feathers. Emily will know what to do with you.”

  “Cooooooperrrrrrrr.”

  “Yes. That’s me. Please don’t start being mean like you were in the office.”

  The bird looked at him and walked sideways along his perch, back toward his food. “Cooooooperrrrrrrr is naughty.”

  “Oh, here we go.” He kept his eyes on the road as the parrot rattled off all his phrases again.

  “Cooooooperrrrrrrr smells.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Cooooooperrrrrrrr is banned from this house.”

  “Okay.”

  “Cooooooperrrrrrrr is poop!”

  “Wow. She was really angry with me, wasn’t she, mate?”

  “We’ll burn the bed! Cooooooperrrrrrrr can’t sing.”

  “I can sing. Listen.” He turned the radio up and started singing along with the song that played. He glanced at Andrew every so often and the bird stared at him as he belted out the words. Several songs played one after the other and Cooper sang and sang, happy to see he’d found something to silence his accuser. When the news came on he turned the volume down and addressed a now-silent Andrew. “How’d you like that?”

  “Andrew can siiiiiing.”

  “So can I. I just proved it.”

  Andrew turned his back and leaned toward his seed. In a low tone, almost to himself he said. “Cooooooperrrrrrrr sucks.”

  ***

  “You drove all this way to give me the news in person?”

  “I did. I figured you’d try to get home straight away. This way I can drive you and you don’t have to worry about anything.”

  She nodded, lost in her thoughts. “Did Jordan say how much damage?”

  “She said it was pretty bad. Andrew saved the day, though.”

  That news finally made Emily smile and she tickled Andrew under the chin. He was perched on her finger as they made their way home. His made a clicking sound with his tongue and rolled his head so she could scratch him in his favourite place.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She said to him as she kissed him on his head. “Your feathers will grow back like new.”

  “Cooooooperrrrrrrr smells.”

  She laughed and Cooper frowned as he drove. “Don’t encourage him. He’s abused me the whole way here. At one point I considered setting him free, he was so annoying. He liked my singing though. That shut him up for a good seven minutes at a stretch, didn’t it Andrew.”

  The bird eyed him and snuggled closer to Emily. “Cooooooperrrrrrrr.”

  “That’s me buddy.”

  “Cooooooperrrrrrrr.”

  “Yep, what you got? Some new insult to hurl at me? I think I’ve heard them all by now.”

  Cooper grinned and Andrew crawled up on to Emily’s shoulder. He flapped his good wing and made his clicking sounds. Emily looked out the window until the bird started flapping crazily on her shoulder. She put him on her hand and then leaned across and put him back in his cage. He climbed up onto his perch and started up his screaming at Cooper again. It was so loud they couldn’t hear themselves think as he repeated over and over all the ways that Cooper had wronged them.

  “Stop the car.”

  “What? Why?” Cooper pulled the car over as soon as he could find room.

  “Because I can’t stand the screaming.”

  “Don’t do anything drastic, Emily.”

  She laughed. “Oh get off, I’m not going to let him loose, idiot.” She pulled a towel from her suitcase and opened the back door. Andrew saw what was coming and he shouted louder and faster while she moved the towel toward him. As she threw it over the cage he shrieked, “She loves me best!” and then he was silent.

  Emily got back in the front and they continued toward home. Cooper frowned and looked over at her, as she sat staring out the window, lost again in thoughts of her damaged house.

  He spoke into the blissful silence. “That towel would have come in mighty handy six hours ago.”

  ***

  Emily’s unit was unliveable. The insurance assessor declared the building still structurally sound, but the repairs would take many months to complete. Simpsons promised a sizeable donation to help her get back on her feet and Cooper convinced her to stay with him for a night or two, until she could decide where she was going to live.

  Andrew seemed to sense that Emily was upset and he behaved himself for once. The hotel advised that if they received any complaints he would have to go, but they were prepared to have him if he could be quiet, once Cooper explained the situation.

  Emily went through the next days as though she was in a trance. She went to work and still gave her all, handling the workload like the professional she was, but at night she fell into bed, too exhausted to eat or even talk. Cooper held her close and she slept soundly beside him.

  When Saturday rolled around she was wide awake at six. Cooper snored softly beside her and she tiptoed to the kitchen to make herself a coffee. Andrew’s cage was covered and he remained silent while she sat at the kitchen table. She sipped her coffee and scrolled through the news on her phone, feeling better than she had all week. Cooper’s phone vibrated in the charger an
d she leaned over to look at the screen.

  The phone buzzed and the word MUM appeared on the screen.

  What? His Mum?

  Glancing over her shoulder, she disconnected the phone and quietly answered, “Hello?”

  “Hello can I speak to Cooper please?” a husky female voice asked. She let out a racking cough and then asked. “Who is this?”

  “This is Emily. Who is this?”

  “Oooh, a girlfriend. I never get to speak to them.” She giggled, “I’m Cooper’s mother, dear. But he never comes to visit me. Always says he loves me and he’ll visit but never does. I think he’s ashamed of his old mum, I do. Is he there? Or is he avoiding me again?”

  Emily closed her eyes as her pulse slammed in her ears.

  That lying bastard. He told me his mother was dead!

  “Cooper is out at the moment. Do you want to call back in about an hour or so?”

  “I can try. They don’t always let me near the phone here. Can you tell him I called?”

  “I’ll write him a message.” She promised through gritted teeth before disconnecting the call.

  She wanted to wake him up and demand an answer. Scream and yell and accuse him of everything all over again. Dread settled in the pit of her stomach as she recognised the misery sweeping over her. Exactly like last time. She’d thought it was another woman back then, only to discover it was his mother. Now the same mother, the one he’d told her was dead, was going to come between them again.

  It didn’t matter that he wasn’t seeing someone else. He’d lied to her—straight to her face. In some ways it was worse than last time; at least she hadn’t given him a chance to explain back then.

  She wouldn’t now, either. She was done with Cooper Jackson. Her bag sat by the couch and she shoved as many of her clothes into it as she could find. Bathroom items were retrieved as quietly as possible and she threw them in on top of the clothes. She slipped her shoes on, packed up her phone and her work computer, and dragged the heavy bags over her shoulder. There weren’t enough of her clothes left after the fire to justify leaving some of them in his bedroom but there was no way she would risk waking him to retrieve them.

  She picked up Andrew’s cage, murmuring to him to please stay quiet under his blanket, and for once, he obeyed. When she was safely into the lift she pulled off the blanket and he looked her straight in the eye as she fought not to cry. He rubbed his head against the cage and she put her face down near him. True to form he made his feelings known. “Cooooooperrrrrrrr’s dead!”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “If you want the role, Emily, it’s yours.” Ed sat back in his chair, a big smile on his face. He was obviously pleased with himself.

  “Wow. I don’t know what to say. It’s an unexpected surprise.”

  “You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Sleep on it and let me know tomorrow. Cooper left an extensive list of decent applicants who would be great as our new operations manager if you decide to turn it down. We’re happy for you to stay as human resources manager if that’s where your heart truly lies.”

  My heart lies with the man I’ve spent the last three months working beside.

  “I don’t need to sleep on it, I’ll take it. You’re right that I’ve been doing the work anyway. It’s been busy and the hours have been long but I’ve enjoyed the variety and the chance to learn so much about the whole business. I’m looking forward to taking some of the improvements we decided on to fruition.”

  “Perfect! I’m glad. Your first job is to replace yourself. I know Cooper isn’t here to interview with you but you can choose a suitable replacement. It could be the last interview you have time to sit in on once you’re in charge.”

  “It’s not an issue. I have someone in mind already.”

  Ed stood up and shook her hand. Instead of leaving her office, he leaned against the desk and folded his arms. “I promised myself I wasn’t going to interfere, and I’m sure you know what’s best for you, but I can’t help myself. I hope you’ll give Cooper another chance, Emily.”

  “Thanks Ed. I appreciate your concern. I don’t know what to think about Cooper at the moment and I’m annoyed with myself for letting down my guard. That’s not something you have to worry about with me again. I will never again date someone I’m working with.”

  “Oh, it’s not so bad. Sometimes us workaholics have nowhere else to meet people, besides at the office.” He grinned at her and picked up his briefcase. “Either way, think about it before you decide you two are done for good. I’ve known Cooper for a long time and I’ve never seen him as down as he is now. I’m sharing a confidence when I say that he pretty much thought you were the one.”

  “It’s highly unprofessional for him to have told you that.” She ground her teeth together.

  What was he thinking saying that to the man I work for?

  “It was off the record. Said in a completely private setting. We’re friends outside of work, you know.”

  “I didn’t know that, but thanks for making me feel better.”

  “Well, I’m off. Got a long drive back home.” He turned at the door, “Think about what I said. You could do a lot worse than my friend Cooper.” He smiled and was gone.

  I could kill your friend Cooper, right now!

  ***

  She came out of the building at the end of the day to find Cooper sitting on the bonnet of her car in the dark. She stopped and watched him, before he could look up and see her. His chin was in one hand as his fingers moved over his phone screen. For a second she considered turning back, but she owed him an enormous thank you and now was as good a time as any to deliver it. In fact, it could be her only chance. She wasn’t likely to see him again after today.

  She was still angry with him, though, and she couldn’t help but take an aggressive approach. “My note gave you specific instructions Cooper. I don’t want to see you.” Emily stepped around him and put her laptop on the passenger seat.

  He slid off the bonnet and waited for her to return to the driver’s side. “I got the instructions. It’s not every day you have the best weekend of your life and wake to find a note that reads ‘Your dead mother called. Do Not Contact Me!!!! Complete with capitals, underlines and exclamation points.”

  “Well, it’s not every day you answer the phone to discover your boyfr—” she paused, “that people have lied and other people are not dead.” She walked past him, intent on getting in the car and driving off. Curiosity got the better of her, though, and she turned back toward him. If they were to go their separate ways, she had to know why he’d been so dishonest. “Why did you tell me she was dead, Cooper?”

  “Can I take you to dinner and explain?”

  “No.”

  “Right, well it’s a long drawn-out tale.” He glanced at the darkened office. “Has everyone left?”

  “Yes. I’m the last one here. Why?”

  “Because it’s private. I’m not in the habit of talking about my mother.”

  “You sure talked about her a lot the day the photo frame broke.”

  He grimaced. “I’m so sorry about that. You put me on the spot and I started babbling and I couldn’t stop. Like I said, I rarely discuss her.”

  “You carry her photo around.”

  “No, I don’t. I had her photo with me because I was trying to psyche myself up to go and visit her. I wanted to convince myself that she wasn’t so bad.”

  “What could be so bad about her that you tell people she’s dead?” She should get in the car and go, but she wanted to hear his explanation. Twice now, she’d cried over him and whatever secret he kept about his mother.

  “My mother and I have never been close. I stayed away from home whenever I could, and after school I didn’t come home until late. She never cared where I was, didn’t even make sure that I’d eaten. When I needed school supplies she let me go without, until an aunt started buying my school gear for me each year.

  “She had a job with a real estate agent and she s
omehow managed to embezzle a large amount of money from the business over a period of years. I don’t know what she did with it all; I never saw any sign of it. Anyway, the owner of the business found out and threatened her. He said he was going to the police and he would make sure she went to jail. There was a struggle and she killed him with a knife from the office kitchen. She was convicted of murder and went to prison for fifteen years. I lived with my aunt for the last two years of high school.”

  Emily stared at him as he continued the story. “She got out of prison when I was twenty eight, somehow got another job, and her boss miraculously disappeared a few months later. She’s currently serving a twenty year sentence for his murder.”

  “She killed him too?”

  “We don’t know. She said she didn’t do it and no body has ever been recovered. She was found guilty of his murder, though, and the court declared her mentally unsound. She was arrested driving around in his car.”

  “God, that’s awful.”

  “I’ve had relationships break up because I told them about my mother. One woman had a relative who had been murdered and she wanted nothing to do with me after I told her. My mum has taken to calling me and texting me over and over. I ignore it mostly but occasionally I speak to her and say all the things she wants to hear. I have no intention of visiting her or of having her in my life. I didn’t want to tell anyone about her. Ever.”

  “You could have told me.”

  “I probably would have, down the track. A long way down the track. Look what’s happened because of her, though. Another break up because of what she’s done.”

  “Actually it’s a break up because you lied to me. You can’t blame her for this.”

  “Indirectly it’s her fault.”

  “Kind of. If you hadn’t lied, it wouldn’t have happened, regardless of how she has behaved.” She bit her lip. Now was the time to tell him about last year. “I broke up with you last time because I overheard you on a call to her.” The words spilled out quickly. “I thought you were seeing someone else.”

  “Ahhhh… so that’s what happened.” A look of understanding settled on his features. “Makes sense.” His tone was bitter.