“Well, there isn’t yet, but there will be.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked with her cheeks expanding as her countenance perked up.
“In order for me to assume the CEO role, we need a board meeting, don’t we?”
“Don, what are you talking about?” she asked again with her face contorted. He’d dangled the news long enough. It was time to tell her. Besides, he couldn’t contain the excitement any longer.
“Joel came to see me a few hours ago to let me know that he’s resigning.”
Abigail sucked in unfiltered air as her mouth opened wide, then shut. Her hands ran up and down her face, rapidly, frantically. “Are you serious?”
“Very.”
“I can’t believe it. I wonder what happened. We’ve begged him to step down and he wouldn’t hear of it.”
She vividly remembered talking to him privately yesterday about the sales report. She’d strongly suggested that he step down in light of DMI being in the worst financial position the company had ever experienced. Maybe he heard her and was attempting to honor her appeal. There were any number of reasons why he’d left as abruptly as he had. She was relieved that he was no longer in a position to harm the company. At the same time, she was sad knowing he was most definitely wounded.
“It gets back to what you said in the beginning, that this is my destiny.”
“And I know that it is.”
“Me too. Months ago, I resolved in my spirit that if God wanted me in this position, then I’d make myself available, but the job of securing the position was on Him.”
“That’s funny you say that, because I was just thinking that only God could have changed Joel’s heart so dramatically and so quickly. There’s no other explanation for it.”
“It goes to show that no matter how smart we are, or how we think a situation should turn out, God moves in His timing and in His way to fulfill His master plan. Our primary decision is do we want to play along or follow our own destructive path.”
“I have to say,” she said, leaning back and stretching her forearms and hands out along the chair arms, “when God works a plan, He works a plan.”
She stood and went to him with arms opened wide, absorbing the gravity of today’s event. Neither rushed to break the connection. Don was relaxed talking to Abigail. She’d help calm him. He was ready for the meeting now. Nothing could go wrong.
Abigail couldn’t move from her seat, stunned. Joel had actually resigned. Her questions were too plentiful to list. She reflected on the heartfelt times where they were inseparable, running the company with solid leadership, wrapped in vision, and secured with God’s influence. Her soul saddened, remembering. Those days were never to be again. She ached for his predicament while reveling in the excitement of seeing Don finally succeed. He deserved the position. As a matter of fact, not only was he suited to run DMI, there was no one else with the integrity, relationship with God, and leadership skills that he possessed. The company was fortunate to get him. Abigail thanked God silently for Don as she twirled the chair around and stared out the windows.
What was next for her? Joel had a wife. Don had a lady friend. He wasn’t married, but Abigail wasn’t convinced that he was free. Her feelings were rampant. Maybe this was the time for her to make a change, start fresh, and broaden her horizons beyond the Mitchell compound. Before she let her mind careen too far into the future or dip too far into the past, she had to complete a basic courtesy.
Abigail dialed Joel’s number. She didn’t know his home number since he’d moved into the new house, which wasn’t an issue. She dialed his mobile phone, a number engraved in her mind from dialing it countless times during his better days. On the fourth ring she was ready to disconnect when he answered. At first she was at a loss of words. She was caught between wanting to reach him while not wanting to seem overly concerned. Abigail let the words find a way to the surface. “Don told us about your decision.” Joel was quiet, which forced her to say something else. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry things turned out this way. I really am sorry.”
“I appreciate your call. I’m sorry, too.”
Silence languished. Finally she sliced the quiet. “That’s all I wanted to say. Take care of yourself.” Before she disconnected, he called out to her. “Yes,” she responded.
“I’m very sorry that our relationship was a casualty of this mess. Believe it or not, you have been and will continue to be someone very important to me.”
She inhaled his words but didn’t swallow. It didn’t ring of truth to her. Joel was a wise man, or had been at one time. If she had truly been that important to him, he wouldn’t be married or ousted from the company. When she thought about it, her feelings were of no consequence. Joel was defeated. There was nothing else she could do about his situation other than lift up a prayer for him every now and then. The rest was between him and God.
chapter
78
Madeline had pulled off the impossible once again. Less than three hours and she had gathered the other six board members, refusing to accept a single excuse. This meeting was too important. Her son was close to inheriting his birthright. She would have gone to pick up the members and hauled them to DMI if necessary. Gratefully, she didn’t have to resort to extreme measures. They were there. She and Don made the count eight. Joel would make nine, but he wasn’t present. Maybe he would show up, maybe he wouldn’t. Regardless, the count would proceed without his presence just like it had when he was voted CEO based on a recommendation from his father. Although she acknowledged that it would be easier if Joel resigned openly in the meeting, instead of relying on an absentee letter. Then they wouldn’t be forced to validate the authenticity of the resignation. Stalling the process gave Joel time to change his mind. She definitely wanted to bolt the revolving-door concept shut.
“Let’s call the meeting to order,” Madeline said.
“Should we wait for Joel?” one member said.
“No, we should proceed,” Madeline responded immediately. She was afraid to wait. What if he changed his mind or something jinxed Don’s appointment, an outcome she couldn’t bear.
Kay was taking roll when the door opened.
Madeline’s nervous meter jumped into the red zone as Joel stood there.
“Joel,” Don greeted. Joel eased into his chair. His demeanor didn’t give any indication of what he was thinking.
Madeline wanted to proceed and get this over with. Either he was serious about stepping down and this would be an easy vote, or he wasn’t serious and this meeting would be short. They would soon see.
“This meeting has been called because Joel has decided to resign,” Don said.
“Is that true?” Madeline asked him directly, wanting it on the record.
“It is.” He nodded, laying his PDA on the table along with his sunglasses. “I’ve decided to step down and recommend Don for the CEO role.” Rumblings simmered briefly. “If it’s okay with everyone here, I’d like to suspend the rules and go directly to the vote.”
“Why are you resigning?” someone asked.
“I have personal obligations that will consume my attention for the immediate future. I can’t give DMI the time required to get us back on track.”
“Should you be stepping down when the company is in such a state of flux?” someone else asked.
Madeline didn’t want them to bombard Joel. He’d made his decision and she wasn’t going to let a series of congressional questioners derail the process. “Joel has made his decision. Let’s honor his request.”
“I agree,” Don said. “He’s already resigned. Let’s respect his decision and proceed.”
The first vote was taken to accept Joel’s resignation. Seven votes in favor, one opposed, and Joel was an abstention. Simple as that, Joel was out. Months of scheming and plotting yielded no results. According to Don and Abigail, when God was ready for Don to take the lead, the door opened without opposition. Sitting in the boardroom watc
hing the order of events unfold made Madeline a renewed believer.
“This next vote is to fill the position of CEO.”
“Wait a minute,” a board member interrupted. “We understand that Don is a Mitchell, but why should we vote him in as CEO? What’s going to happen with his other company, LTI?”
“Don has already assumed fifty percent of our client base. There’s not much left to claim. We should be so fortunate as to have him work with us,” Madeline said, carefully articulating each word to be sure that they got the message. The top spot belonged to a Mitchell, period.
“Your questions are valid. LTI has assumed a significant number of clients who have left DMI,” Don told them, much calmer and poised than she would have been. Joel sold the company in chunks out the back door and didn’t get asked the tough questions. Don was working hard to save the company, and suddenly the leadership was awake and wanted to grill the rescuer. There was much Madeline could and wanted to say but she decided to stay out of Don’s limelight. He was the CEO and could easily handle this bunch. “I have a management team in place to run LTI in Africa and Europe. Domestically I will be involved. My first order of business is to stabilize DMI by paying off the debt, spurring sales, and invoking confidence in the customer base. My longer term goal is to merge DMI and LTI into one international company once DMI is stable. Harmonious Energy will be divested, and we will attempt to regain both the West Coast and Southern divisions,” Don said. The room quieted. His commanding and organized thoughts were well received. “Like I said, we have our work cut out for us, but this isn’t impossible. We have the manpower and the vision to turn this company around, to turn it back into something more like a ministry focused on healing people. As CEO, I’m ready to take on the challenge, head-on.”
“I’ve heard plenty,” Madeline said, and others agreed.
The vote was taken, eight in favor, zero opposed, and one abstention. That was it. Don was the new CEO of DMI. He sat unresponsive. Joel scooped up his sunglasses and keys and headed for the door.
“Joel, thank you,” Don called out. Joel didn’t rush from the room. It was like he moved in slow motion. Once he had the knob turned, he left without a speech or good-bye or jab against Madeline. She was disappointed. The two had been in a constant battle, dueling at each opportunity. Watching her adversary crawl from the room chipped at her compassion. Joel had issues, but he wasn’t a bad person. She really did hope he’d land on his feet. Kicking a wounded opponent didn’t bring satisfaction, so she didn’t. If Joel Mitchell was a wise man with strong genes, this wasn’t over. He’d be back after regrouping. She was betting on it, actually counting on it. Of course he wasn’t going to win, but Joel was engaging. No reason for him to know she was secretly rooting for him to recover, outside the doors of DMI, on another continent somewhere. So long as he stayed out of her son’s way, Madeline had no issue with him.
The board members scattered, leaving Don alone. Three years and look at where he was, standing in the CEO position of DMI. There was much work to do. Joel had sold off half the company, squandered his funds, and Don had to restore DMI under the LTI umbrella. At least funding wasn’t a problem. He’d amassed a mound of capital with the surge of business both domestically and internationally. Despair wanted to lay claim to his victory, reminding him of how poorly Joel had managed the company and what an awful state it was in. Why couldn’t he have received it in the same condition that Joel had?
Don refused to let his victory be overtaken by vengeance. He reflected on how God’s will hadn’t change. The road map to destiny was lined with mistakes, successes, failed decisions, consequences, and so on. God had all the pieces when he crafted the path from start to finish. Just as Don wasn’t intended to have DMI initially—Joel was the one chosen, and it was for a reason. Don acknowledged that Joel must have always been a critical part of the plan even when he couldn’t see it. Adversity, too. God prepared him to lead, to embrace forgiveness, to exercise compassion, and to be steadfast in his beliefs. The adversity he’d endured was as much of a learning tool as the days he’d spent getting his MBA years ago.
His turmoil was settling down. After DMI and LTI were rolling along, Don planned to start a family. He couldn’t help but to think about Naledi. She was perfect, attractive, smart, devoted, and secure. He didn’t need to ask for more in a mate, but he couldn’t discount Abigail. One day he’d take a bride, and confusion would not be a factor. Just like DMI, when it was time, God would direct the path for him to follow. He’d done it in business and God would do it with love. Don was sure of it and took comfort in not having to worry about selecting a mate. She’d be revealed in due season, just like the CEO role.
chapter
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Madeline poked her head into the room. “What are you doing here?” she asked Don, who hadn’t left the room although the meeting had ended over an hour ago.
He’d walked in faith for months. Witnessing an improbable feat humbled him. “I decided to spend some time alone with God.” Don needed time to reflect, to unwind, to soak in the realization.
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am,” she said, giving him a quick tap on his back. “Our day has finally come.” She took a seat next to him. “How does it feel?”
The feeling was indescribable. To want something so passionately for so long, despite the odds and challenges, and to finally see it come to fruition rendered him speechless.
“Don’t try to explain it. Your face says it all,” she said, beaming. He was excited about being the CEO, and the added bonus was seeing his mother finally get the best of the deal.
She patted his shoulder. “This is our day. No more Joel, no more Sherry, no more craziness.” Her gaze eased down to the table. “We’ve won, hallelujah, we did it,” she said, trying to contain a smile that refused to be suppressed.
“Actually, Sherry offered me her resignation letter earlier.”
“Great.”
“But I didn’t accept it.”
“Why not?” his mother asked, rearing back in her seat.
“There’s no reason for her to leave.” Don cast his gaze on his mother. He wanted to be sure she understood what he was saying. “We’ve been at war with Joel and Sherry most of my life. I’m tired and you should be, too. This is a time of healing for our family.” Madeline tried to speak but Don wouldn’t let her. “No exceptions, Mother. Let’s concentrate on getting the company stabilized. I need all hands on deck to fix this situation, especially you and Abigail. I need you both now more than ever. There’s a lot of work to be done and quickly.”
“Well, I need to talk to you about that.”
“Why, what’s going on?” He didn’t like the way she sounded.
“I’m leaving, just like we discussed.”
“But you don’t have to go now. Joel has resigned, and I’m in charge. You can stay put.”
“No, I can’t, not as long as I have another child out there who wants to come home,” she said, sounding strong but appearing weakened by the notion of leaving DMI.
“You don’t have to go. This is more your company than anyone else alive.”
“You know I love DMI, but I love you and your sister more. If she wants to come home and I can help her, I’m going to do it.”
“Where will you go?”
“I’m not sure. It’s a big world out there, and it’s high time that I explore it. Maybe I’ll start somewhere along the Mediterranean. I could deal with some beach and sun for a while,” she said, giggling. “But it really doesn’t matter where I go. What matters is that Tamara comes back. That’s my dream, to have both of my children working side by side, running the company that me and your father built. Now, that’s your birthright, destiny, legacy, or whatever you want to call it. This is where you belong and this is where she belongs. I won’t stand in the way.”
Don appreciated his mother’s consistent attempts to rescue her children, but he wasn’t willing to let her go on the eve of his victory. He had to convi
nce her to stay. “Like I said, it’s time for this family to heal. We’ve had years of separation and that’s behind us now. This is a new day, a time of forgiveness and reconciliation.”
“If you say so, Reverend Don.”
“I’m serious.” Don glanced at his watch. “What are you doing this evening?”
“Packing. Why? Do you want to go to dinner before I leave?” she said in a chipper mood.
“Not dinner, England. You’re hopping the plane with me tonight, and we’re going to Bristol, England.”
“What’s in Bristol?”
“Tamara.”
“Oh, she doesn’t want to see me. Once you tell her that I’m on my way, she’ll be packed and moved before we arrive.” Mother patted his cheek. “Thanks for the suggestion, but that would be a wasted trip.”
“You’re absolutely right, which is why I’m not telling her.”
“I don’t know about that. Do you think that’s wise? She might not be able to handle seeing me without advance notice.”
“Mother, go home and pack a few items. We need to be on a plane by eight P.M.”
“I don’t know about this, Don.”
“I do. Now go—that’s an order. You know I am CEO now.”
“But I am still your mother. So, what does that make me?”
“Loved,” he said, not needing to say any more. They were going to be all right, each one of them—his mother, Tamara, even Sherry and Joel. He didn’t know what the future held, but Naledi and Abigail would be all right, too. He stood, helped his mother stand, and left the room, turning the lights out behind him. His anxiety had been quieted and faith elevated, each fueled by the simple act of forgiveness. Every piece of the puzzle, including the inspiration coming from Nelson Mandela’s incredible ability to forgive, was set in motion for this time. Nothing, not a single action or set of circumstances, was random. There was a God—he knew it. No one else could have crafted such a journey for his life, no one.
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