The next call came on a Monday morning.
The company's lawyer asked whether I could attend another meeting.
She explained that the historical review had progressed.
I agreed to come.
Jeremy asked if he could join me.
I said yes.
We arrived shortly before the scheduled time.
This time, Doug was waiting outside the conference room.
He looked tired.
His suit was neat, but his expression wasn't.
"Good morning," he said.
I returned the greeting.
Jeremy stood beside me.
Doug glanced at him.
Then he looked back at me.
"Can we speak for a moment?"
I nodded.
He motioned toward a quieter area near the reception desk.
Jeremy stayed nearby.
Doug lowered his voice.
"I want to make sure we handle this properly."
"That would be best."
He rubbed his thumb against the edge of his watch.
"The company has been reviewing the old records."
"I know."
"There are questions we still need to resolve."
"I understand."
He looked toward the conference room.
"Things became unnecessarily public at the Christmas party."
I waited.
He seemed to realize that I wasn't going to help him avoid the subject.
Finally, he said something about Jeremy's dismissal.
"I could have handled that differently."
I looked at him.
"Yes."
He swallowed.
"I didn't intend to embarrass him."
I thought about Jeremy standing on that stage.
The microphone.
The employees watching.
The way his face had changed when Doug announced his dismissal.
"Intentions don't always change what people experience."
Doug looked down.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he asked whether Jeremy would consider discussing his employment situation again.
I turned toward my son.
Jeremy stepped closer.
"I don't want to return just because there's a disagreement about ownership."
Doug nodded.
"I understand."
Jeremy continued.
"I want to know why you fired me."
Doug looked uncomfortable.
"We can discuss that with the appropriate people."
Jeremy didn't respond.
We entered the conference room.
The lawyer was already seated.
The financial representative had brought another set of records.
She began by explaining that the company had been examining its historical documentation against the agreement I had supplied.
She made it clear that the review was not yet complete.
There were still matters requiring careful examination.
I appreciated her honesty.
I had no interest in forcing a decision before the facts were established.
She explained that the company was considering the implications of the original ownership arrangement.
Doug listened without interrupting.
The financial representative then asked me several questions about the original transaction.
I answered each one.
She wanted to know whether I had ever received notice that the arrangement had been changed.
I said no.
She asked whether I had signed any later documents relating to the ownership.
Again, I said no.
The lawyer recorded my answers.
Jeremy remained quiet.
I could see that he was concentrating on every word.
At one point, Doug asked whether the company could continue operating normally while the review took place.
The lawyer said that the company would need to follow the appropriate procedures.
Nobody made promises.
Nobody announced a final decision.
And I was comfortable with that.
I had waited years.
I could wait long enough to have the matter handled correctly.
After the meeting, the lawyer asked to speak with me privately.
Jeremy stepped outside.
She closed the conference room door.
"I want to be clear about something," she said.
I waited.
"The company is taking your documents seriously."
I nodded.
"We are examining the historical records and the legal implications."
"Thank you."
She continued.
"We may need additional time."
"Take the time you need."
She looked at me.
"Are you hoping to become involved in the company's daily management?"
I shook my head.
"No. My immediate concern is that the ownership arrangement be properly recognized."
She wrote something down.
"Understood."
When I left the room, Jeremy was standing near the reception desk.
He looked at me.
"How did it go?"
"They're continuing the review."
He nodded.
We walked toward the elevators.
Before the doors closed, I glanced back.
Doug was standing inside the conference room.
He was looking at the papers.
Not at his phone.
Not at his watch.
At the papers.
I remembered the Christmas party.
How easily he had dismissed Jeremy.
How confidently he had spoken in front of everyone.
Now he was being forced to examine a history he had never expected to confront.
The elevator doors closed.
Jeremy looked at me.
"Do you think he'll ever apologize?"
I thought about it.
"I don't know."
We reached the parking area.
The leather folder was still in my handbag.
Its corners were worn.
Its clasp was loose.
But the documents inside were safe.
Jeremy opened the passenger door.
Before getting in, he turned toward me.
"Whatever happens with the company, I'm glad you kept those papers."
I smiled.
"So am I."
We drove home without saying much.
For once, the silence between us didn't feel uncomfortable.
It felt like the beginning of something we hadn't understood before.
And I knew the next step would not be decided by Doug's temper, his position, or the expensive watch on his wrist.
It would be decided by what had actually been agreed upon.
Click here to continue reading: PART 9: The Final Review Forced Doug to Confront the Agreement His Father Had Signed, and My Son Finally Received the Respect He Deserved
My Son Thought Losing His Job Was the Worst Thing That Could Happen That Night, Until I Asked One Question
Part 8 of 10
