ESTHER

Chapter eighteen

Days stretched to months, and I was surprised at how long I had enjoyed my work in GOULDERS. It felt as if it was just the other day I resumed, and I always looked forward to the next day. But even in my happy sense, the country was in turmoil. A few months after the 9/11 incident, people starting becoming restless and lost trust in their government. Every Muslim or person from the Arab continent was considered suspicious, and some citizens went as far as to retaliate against them.

The worst was the general financial hit most companies suffered. Jack Rhodes had been stressed out since I started working there, it was just recently I had found out why. The economy took another hit again in a space of two months.

It was winter, and the air was chill but the atmosphere sombre. Most people were not in the mood to celebrate the Christmas season. Only a few hung trees, lights and other decoration, but it felt more like a sad celebration than a happy one. As I made my way into the office, I noticed that there was a sombre look on most people's faces. I had come to acknowledge the people working here as friends, family, even after we put all our differences aside.

I walked over to the receptionist, checking in and trying to fish information out from her. She kept on sighing and was slowly shaking her head every few seconds. I dropped the pen and looked at her.

"Hey, what's up? What's with the sombre face?" She looked at me, pity perfectly etched on her round face. But who it was for, I hadn't come to know.

"Some people are going to lose their job." I faced her seriously.

"What do you mean?"

"Well the company is in bad shape, or so I was told, so some people are going to get fired."

"The company is in bad shape? Who told you that?" I exclaimed. She looked at me, curiously surprised.

"You didn't know? You are working with the boss after all, how come you didn't find out?" She said that more to herself as if the idea was completely absurd and foreign to her.

"He sent a general email to the company this morning telling of his decision." I quickly turned her computer slightly to face me. She helped me log into the company's email, and when I read the letter I was surprised. Something felt off. I thanked her and made my way to the elevator, thinking of what could have possibly prompted Jack Rhodes to make that decision.

I finally arrived at the office, knocking it ever so slightly before opening it. What I saw was a very disturbing sight. Few things tend to get Jack Rhodes irritated or even agitated, but as I looked at my boss, sitting in a manner not befitting for someone who exudes elegance in everything he does, with his hair that was always perfectly smoothened back being drawn out and scattered, his tie loosened and his shirt dishevelled, it was a sad sight. I knew then that whatever happened to the company hurt him also, as he never wanted to do that. Greeting him, I walked over to my desk, trying as much as possible to be quiet. I have always had the habit of doing my things quietly when someone around me was seething mad. And from the look on my boss's face, he didn't want to be disturbed.

As the day finally reached its end, I was grateful that I'd finally be rid of the tension not only in my office but in the whole company. Every employee is on their toes and trying not to make a single mistake that may cost them their job. I stood up from my seat, walked out from behind my desk and pushed my seat back in, making sure that my desk was neat and that I hadn't forgotten anything when Jack Rhodes spoke for the first time that day.

"Esther, you're coming with me." He stood up from his desk and left the room, not even managing a glance my way. I understood that he was in a bad mood, so I didn't pay him any mind, though it wouldn't have hurt for him to have told me earlier that I had an appointment with him.

Following him, we both walk down the hallway into the elevator, no one speaking a word. I wondered if the company's situation was what put him in a bad mood, or if they were something else. We arrived at the first floor, and I walked briskly behind him as we made our way out of the company. Walking down towards the parking lot, we reached his car and he opened the passenger's door for me. I entered warily, then he shut it as he made his way over to the car to the driver's side.

The drive was so quiet, I was tempted to pull my hair. When I couldn't take it any longer, he drove into a fancy restaurant and parked his car in a somewhat hidden spot. Even though he was just a businessman, Jack Rhodes was no less than a celebrity, so avoiding paparazzi is like the second job for him.

I didn't wait for him to open my door for me as I stepped out of the car. He walked straight into the building with me behind him. The restaurant was very fancy and as usual, expensive. The lights were dim and colourful, casting a mix of different shades of purple. Lights were hanging from the ceiling in huge bulbs, making it seem like stars in the nights. It was a very huge room, with a glass wall arranged behind white wooden beams to make it seem like different boxes arranged into a huge window. There was a bar on the other side of the room, and the chairs were cushion-like, high and perfect for privacy. It was C-shaped and a table was in its middle. We walked down towards the hidden part of the room and finally arrived at a table already occupied by two people.

One was young, probably in his early thirties, about the same age as Jack Rhodes, and he was dressed smartly in a well-tailored suit as he stood up to greet us. Jack Rhodes shook his hands and nodded at him, while he faced me and flashed a professional smile. He was well built and tall, almost the same height as my boss. He had a handsome face, with black hair parted and swept to the side, a full pouting lip and very beautiful brown eyes. His nose was pointed, and if not studied closely, one wouldn't be able to see the little scar lining his eyebrows.

Jack Rhodes introduced me to the other man, and I finally remembered who he was. He was Haman Rhodes, the stranger who had called months ago and never came back. He was middle-aged and had a rough look about him. He reminded me of all those street thugs who became rich from taking from people. His face had a long scar marring from his nose to the right side of his cheek down to his jawline. A little bit and whatever had caused that would have marred his neck also. He was baldheaded, with a plump nose and very straight lips that had been in a scowl ever since we had arrived. He also was dressed smartly, apparently in a well-tailored suit, that didn't bother to hide his potbelly.

As we sat down, a waiter came and handed us the menu. After placing our orders, the main business began.

"I hope you fired all those people". That was the first sentence that was said. I was confused at first, as I looked at Mr Haman, who was looking at Jack Rhodes as if scolding a teenager. That was when it all clicked, the message he had sent out this morning was because of this guy, but why? I never knew that someone else had power over the company. I faced Jack Rhodes to gauge his reaction. He was livid.

"Just because I allow you certain rights doesn't mean you have the right to control me or my company, Uncle". He said that past part with a sneer. It was the first time I had seen him make a reaction so normal.

"Trust me boy, you haven't been in this business for as long as I have. The country is in turmoil now. Any one of those people can be a terrorist. They all look the same, apparently they would work the same too. How do you think they were able to blend in with American Citizens? They took up random jobs that no one can suspect them of. If you don't want to end up in a ditch, better get rid of any middle eastern in your office". I sucked in a breath, shocked at the audacity and the raw hatred emanating from him. If Jack Rhodes noticed my reaction, he didn't say anything.

"Uncle, you mind your business, and I'll mind mine. Please I hope you didn't call for me just to lecture me on this." He said. I could hear the annoyance laced in his tone. His uncle looked at me, and that was the first time in my life that anyone looked at me as if I wasn't worth a dime in their pocket. I felt so small and somewhat humiliated.

"I called so we could have a man to man talk. I didn't expect you to bring someone else" he said 'someone else' in a derogatory manner. My boss was almost boiling over.

"I will not permit you insulting my employees, especially in front of me. If you do not like the way I do my things, build your own company. Just because you're my father's brother doesn't mean that I have to respect you."