Anthony and I sat in his office as we went through all the details of the issues that were dragging the company. I read each document carefully to be able to provide a solution for each one even though it was proving difficult.
I replied to his problem, now that he had just laid it all out: “We have to regroup. We have to put the team back on the rail. We have to restore confidence among both the internal and external. So what do we have in terms of a strategy?”
Anthony nodded and at once his brain was churning with solutions, “Well, a few things came up that I had to sort out, but I really just wanted to wait until you arrived to make any final decisions. I felt that we needed to present a unified front for this.”.
I replied, “Right. The starting point begins with the people. We have to build ourselves so that everyone is in the right place. We can be able to faith and assure them, so they will then follow.”
Leaning back, Anthony mused with a nod, almost to himself, “That’s it. We could start with a meeting at the break of dawn. Get everybody into one room and put something clear down.”
“Great,” I said, feeling a bit back in charge. “We better try to give all of our clients a call, just to inform them that matters are under control and we’re still first among equals.
“Do you know what, I think there should be a list here of key accounts; but that’s for the team, first light,” said Tony.
The tightness of the band across my chest eased a bit then with the momentum of getting on with the planning. I needed this: something to engage my mind completely, something that would require all my attention. Yet, even there, as we went through the planning, there was a wee voice at the back of my mind that wouldn’t let go of Natalie.
A couple of deep gulps of air by the time we hit the office, and then I was ready for the plunge. I’d have to stop thinking everything else was more important-Natalie, Arlys, everything-and just concentrate on exactly what the hell it was that had to be done here. Though I knew, as sure as this was over, I’d be on the first flight home.
We, therefore, settled on one meeting after another, discussing delegating and rallying the team. At this point, we moved miles of the deep of night; in general, I could feel tiredness flowing from outside my body. If anything at all, all the tiredness and pressure of the responsibilities left me with a nice feeling of implementation. We had a plan; now all it needed was to be implemented.
I walked down the street leading away from the big glass office building and on toward the hotel, feeling in my bag already for my phone. I just had to hear Natalie’s voice. By now, I really should have phoned her. I was sorry it had taken me this long.
It must have rang four times before she answered; her voice across the line gave away a great, big ol’ smile I just couldn’t help but make.
“Hey,” I said, falling in the seat and leaning back, closing my eyes, letting her voice wash over me.
“Brandon,” came the one-word response, relief threading through her voice. “I’ve been hoping you’d call back. How did it go?
“A disaster,” I agreed with her, not wanting to soften the blow with honesty. “They always are every one of them. But for this one, just like we did for that other one, we have a plan for it too. We are going to do right by them. How are you? Everything okay over there? \”
“I’m fine,” she supplied boldly, reducing the tone of concern in her voice by exactly half. “Oh, the guards have been sticking close just like you said. I’m just missing you, that’s all.”
“And I miss you,” I added with a romantic whisper. “But I will be back soon. Just hold on a little more.”
I chatted with Nat for a good number of minutes, telling her what had happened and trying to generally calm her down. That had its nice side in itself because I really heard her voice, even if over the phone. No matter how I tried to center on the here and now, niggling inside was the realization: Arlys was still at large, and for all I knew, what her designs were at that very moment?
It made me that much fonder of the idea of putting this London business on a back burner for the time being. The sooner that I could see and get back to Natalie, the better.
As I finally settled in for the night, my mind buzzed with everything happening through that day. Now, though signs of exhaustion were nipping at my heels, one thought remained crystal clear among the stoppages-I had to protect Natalie, no matter what. And if this meant dealing with Arlys once and for all, then so be it