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“Well, if you’re as organized at home as you are here, then I’m sure you’ll have things sorted in no time.”
She chuckles before turning and heading for the door. “Oh, I almost forgot. Mr. Copeland called a meeting this morning. Nine a.m. in the conference room.”
“Mr. Copeland?” I ask in surprise. She nods before going back to her desk. Mr. Copeland is the owner of the company and very rarely calls or even attends meetings. I can’t help but wonder what the meeting is about.
After finishing university with a degree in finance, I’d taken a year out and traveled around the USA, taking a job with an accounting company in Liverpool when I’d returned. It’s a fairly small company, but we have some pretty big clients. I’ve done okay for myself, climbing the ladder from within. It isn’t my dream job. At twenty-five, I still haven’t figured out what is, but it’s stable and paid well. Something I need as a single father.
I sort through a few emails whilst I wait for the 9 a.m. meeting. At five to nine, I make my way through the open-plan desks to the conference room. There are ten accountants at the company, and as I take a seat around the table, I see almost all of them are here.
“Any idea what’s going on?” my colleague Alan asks. I shake my head.
“No idea. Maybe we’re getting a raise.”
“Hmphhh. Don’t count on it,” Jessica, another of my colleagues mutters from the side of me. I turn to ask her what she means but think better of it as Mr. Copeland enters the room, a woman in a suit accompanying him.
“Thank you all for being here today. I’m sorry for the short notice.” He pulls out a chair and sits down. His shoulders are tight, and his face is almost gray. An uneasy feeling settles in the pit of my stomach, and I can’t help thinking this isn’t going to be a meeting about a pay rise. He fills a glass of water from the pitcher on the table and swallows down a mouthful. My eyes flick to the woman he came in with, who is now standing off to the side, her eyes on some papers in her hands.
“There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it. The company is in trouble. I’m looking for at least four of you to consider voluntary redundancy. If that doesn’t happen, we’re looking at compulsory redundancies.” A gasp goes up around the room, and I sit back heavily in my chair. Four redundancies. That’s almost half of the staff.
“I know this will come as a huge shock to all of you, and I haven’t come to this decision lightly. There really is no other option. For anyone interested in the voluntary redundancy, there will be an enhanced package available. My PA is emailing out the details to you all now. Take some time to think about it. My door is always open.” He stands and pushes his chair under the large table. “Karen from HR is here to answer any questions you may have.” He nods across the room to Karen and then leaves.
“Well, shit! I wasn’t expecting that,” Alan says from beside me. “I’m not volunteering.” My gut reaction is to agree with him, but images of the ranch in Texas flood my mind, along with Libby’s invitation to go. I can’t take redundancy though. I need a stable job. “Guess I’ll just wait and see if I’m forced into it. I can’t imagine Copeland’s going to get many that want to volunteer,” Alan adds as he stands up and heads out of the conference room. I watch his retreating back and frown.
He’s right, I could end up without a job anyway if the redundancies end up being compulsory. Maybe it would be better to take the enhanced package now rather than wait and walk away with less. I need to check what they’re offering.
Back in my office, the email from Copeland’s PA has arrived. What they’re offering seems more than fair, and I’m seriously considering volunteering. I could spend a couple of months on the ranch, be there when Libby has the baby. I’m only renting the house Jacob and I live in, and I only need to give a month’s notice on it. I’ve always been careful with my money, and I’ve got some savings. Maybe this could work. The last six months have been hard. A change of scenery could be just what Jacob and I need. For the first time in months, excitement bubbles in my stomach at the thought of doing something different. I’m the first to admit I’m stuck in a bit of a rut.
My fingers fly over the keyboard of my laptop as I email Mr. Copeland, accepting the offer of redundancy. With the package they’re offering and the money I have saved, I’ll be okay financially for a while.
I still can’t believe I’m really doing this, and I pause as my finger hovers over the send button. I was always impulsive before Jacob came along; I could be when there was only me to worry about. Now, every decision I make centers around him and how it will affect our lives. As I press the send button, my gut tells me I’ve made the right choice. I’ve barely had time to process my decision when a knock sounds on my door.
“Come in,” I call out, my eyes fixed on the door. I’m surprised to see Mr. Copeland when it opens. “Mr. Copeland, come in.” Standing up, I wait as he closes the door behind him.
“Jack, I’ve just had your email.” He pauses and I gesture to the chair on the other side of my desk.
“Please, take a seat.”
He nods and pulls out the chair. “Got to say, son, I was a little surprised. I’m not sure I want to lose you.”
I’m taken aback at his comment. I wasn’t aware he thought that much of me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m good at my job, but I don’t think I’m any better than anyone else here.
“I thought you needed to lose four accountants?”
“I do, but I was hoping to keep my best one. Do you want to leave?”
“Well, I wasn’t planning on leaving when I got up this morning,” I say with a chuckle. “But if I’m honest, I think it was the push I needed.”
I don’t know Mr. Copeland that well, but he is aware of my situation with Jacob. He was the one who signed off my change of hours when Zara left. “Things have been hard since my relationship broke down. I think Jacob and I could both do with a change of scenery.”
He nods. “I can understand that. What are your plans?”
“My aunt and uncle have a ranch in Texas. My sister lives there with her husband. I haven’t seen her since Jacob was born. With the redundancy package you’re offering, visiting her is something I can do without having to worry about money. I’ll find something else when I get back. I might even look for something closer to my parents.”
“It seems like you have it all worked out. I’ll be sorry to see you go. You’re good at what you do though, Jack. You won’t have any problem finding something when you’re back.” He stands up and holds out his hand.
“Thank you, sir,” I say as I stand and shake his outstretched hand. It seems I do have everything worked out, in my head at least.
“You know the redundancy is effective immediately?” he asks as he goes to open my office door.
