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SUMMER
TWO MONTHS LATER
Ipull a small piece of lettuce out of my sandwich and nibble on it absently. There is a meeting coming up after lunch about the future of the company and I have to admit I am nervous.
“So, what do you guys think is going to happen with the new owners then?” Gary says, voicing the thing we were likely all thinking about.
“I don’t think it’s going to be good news,” Suki replies.
“Yeah, but you always look on the bad side. You’re such a negative Nelly,” Gary says.
“Negative Nelly? Really?” I say with a soft laugh.
“It’s something Laura and I are trying with the baby when she has a tantrum,” Gary says.
“I’m not having a tantrum. Or being negative. I’m just saying I don’t think it’s going to be good for us. Surely the new owners will have their own people they will want to bring on board,” Suki says.
“Maybe not,” I put in. “I mean if they did, then why buy this firm at all? They could just start their own firm.”
“Yeah, but they want the client list don’t they. That’s why they bought the firm,” Gary says.
“True,” I agree. “I’m not sure they would call us all together for a meeting this way if it was just to tell us to pack our shit and go. Wouldn’t they do it by email or something where we couldn’t all have a go at them.”
“Maybe. Or maybe they think that telling us to our faces is the least they can do seeing as they are getting rid of us,” Suki says.
I take a bite of my sandwich and chew it thoughtfully. There are equally good arguments for why we might get kept on by the new firm and why we might be let go by them. We won’t know for sure one way or the other until after the meeting. Anything else is just speculation and scare mongering really.
“Seriously though, if the worst does happen do you guys have any plans?” Gary asks. “Because I don’t and that’s what worries me more than anything else.”
“I think I might go out on my own you know,” Suki says. “If they get rid of me. It’ll probably be the only way I’ll ever be brave enough to do it. I can’t imagine leaving a secure steady job to go out on my own but if I don’t have a secure steady job anyway, then why not?”
They both look at me.
“I’ll come and work for you Suki,” I joke. I pause and think for a moment. “Seriously I guess I’d have to look for a job at another firm.”
And pray I get one before my parents get wind of what happened. I couldn’t stand the lecture I would get if I was seen to be unemployed by them. I know the lecture by heart – being a doctor is safe and reliable and you don’t get fired without reason. Just because I know it already doesn’t mean I want or need to hear it again.
I mean in theory; my parents make all good arguments, but medicine isn’t my passion. There’s too much ick involved for my liking. And I would miss getting to be creative. And let’s face it, as an architect, the chances of being sued for accidentally killing someone are a hell of a lot lower than they are for a doctor and that suits me just fine.
“Maybe they’ll keep some staff and not others,” Gary is saying. “I don’t know whether that will be good for us or not. If they want to keep the best staff, then we’re good. But if they want to keep the cheaper staff with less experience and mold them into their way of thinking then it’s adios for us.”
“Can’t we sue them if they let us go for no reason?” Suki says.
“No, because we don’t have a contract with them. They technically aren’t firing us. Our contract with our old employer ended and this is our new employer deciding whether or not to give us a contract,” Gary says.
“You just like the idea of suing someone,” I laugh.
“I know,” Suki agrees, also laughing. “But it seems so pointless marrying an attorney if you don’t get to sue someone at some point. I may as well have married a plumber. At least then I’d have a nice bathroom.”
We all laugh at that, and the conversation moves on to Suki’s husband’s latest case. Of course, she isn’t allowed to tell us much – she claims she isn’t privy to much, but I’m sure that’s a lie – but she tells us a few bits that are public knowledge, and I suspect, one or two that aren’t.
“I think we best start making our way to the conference room,” Gary says, nodding to the clock above the fridge in the break room.
The meeting with the new owners isn’t due to start for another ten minutes yet. I frown at Gary.
“Are you planning on crawling there or something?” I ask. “We’ve got ten minutes yet and the conference room is like two doors down from here.”
“I know but if I’m going to lose my job, I at least want to be seated comfortably for the apology,” he says.
