Edited by luvtaread
It was nearly a year and a half later after the incident in Boston that the trouble Jeff Yates had started finally hit home for Brandon. It was a rainy Tuesday in March when he found out that Jeff had finally won their little war. Despite his best efforts the project Brandon was developing was a bust, just as Jeff had planned it, and the man finally had the leverage for his cronies to rid themselves of Brandon.
Whispers of another direction for his team filled the halls and reached Brandon even though the project was not due for a few weeks. Brandon knew the score and knew why. He drove home that night through the rain the dark clouds perfectly mirroring his mood. He was to be fired by the end of the week, and there was nothing to be done about it. For the second time he would feel that humiliation. That was not the worst of it though.
Once again Jeff and people like him would come out on top and it sickened him. Brandon had done exceedingly well, he had fought the good fight, but alas, it was not enough. In the end the prick won again.
As the sky lit with brilliant flashes of lightening and roared with thunder so did Brandon as his depression gave way to anger and rage. A flash of red in his vision then his roar of, "How could they do this to him?" broke the silence in the lonely car. A flash of Jeff's face and another roar of anger into the silent car, again and again and again it happened until, like the sky around him he tired of the explosive outburst and he calmed.
"Anger is not the answer," he said to himself, "Anger will solve nothing, neither will depression." He would be strong, he had to, no one must know, not Ashley and especially not the kids. Be the rock that Ashley asked him to be all that time ago. He drove home trying to think of what to say trying to raise his mood. He would blame the foulness on the weather.
It was no good from the moment he walked in. Even distracted by the children running around the house Ashley seemed to spot it right away. When he brushed her and Katy's concerned questions away he saw them exchange knowing glances, but they let him go. He was grateful they had let it go and knew he would tell them, he would have to, but not with the kids around. He went to his office and tried to think to plan. He was there but a few minutes when Ashley came in, he tried to send her away saying he was fine, but she would have nothing of it.
"I love you Brandon Metcalf, but you are a terrible liar." She whispered in his ear, "What's more you have the worst look on your face and you're scaring the children. Whatever this is we'll get through it we always do. Remember I love you and so do the kids nothing that happens out there can change that darling. Now please get over it, go play some video games with the boys, that always helps distract you. Dinner's in an hour and we'll get the kids to bed early tonight so we can talk about this. Okay?"
The last part was a question, but not really a question. He nodded saying he was sorry, she gave him a kiss and said, "Don't be darling, this family leans on you so much I think you forget that you can lean back on occasion." Then before she left she paused at the door and added, "Just so you know Annie got some good news today, so even though you got some bad news by the looks of it, please don't ruin her moment." Brandon nodded again and after gathering himself did as directed, he joined his twin sons for some games before dinner. As usual they helped his stress levels and took his mind off the problem until dinner.
The meal was pleasant enough. Annie took great pride in announcing that she had got a perfect on her math test, a subject she had been having trouble with. As Brandon had personally helped her he was quite glad to here it.
Shortly after dinner, when everything was cleaned up for the night, as promised, they got the kids to bed early. Upon arriving back downstairs afterwards Brandon was surprised to find Mel and Katy awaiting him as well. They directed him to have a seat.
He did nervously and looked around the room saying, "Okay ladies what's with the full war council here?"
"You tell us," Ashley said as she entered the room. "You stomp in here all angry and downtrodden, brush Katy and I off, and scare the kids half to death. Heck you nearly ran over poor Annie on your way to your office! This is big Brandon, so spill." Only now that she said it did he realize that Annie had nearly been run over on his way to his desk he felt deep remorse.
Under the hard gaze of the three women he said flatly, "Jeff Yates finally got his way today. Word is the company is moving my team in a new direction and all things given I expect that at the least means a new team lead. It goes official at the end of the week. By Friday I'll be out of a job."
The hardness instantly left Katy and Ashley's eyes and they moved to comfort him instantly, well Katy did anyway. Quite enthusiastically in fact, so much so that Ashley cleared her throat to get the blonde's attention.
"Katy I don't draw the line often, but that is
my
husband you're comforting. There will be time for distraction later, right now we need to think." Katy let go of Brandon and pouted while sliding a bit away from him on the couch. Ashley then seemed to note Mel's silence she asked the red-head, "Mel you're rather quiet on this any thoughts?" Mel smiled.
"A few actually," she said. Then after a paused added, "First off, Brandon I can't say I'm surprised. None of us are."
Brandon looked at her odd and then at Ashley who said, "It's true darling, we've been expecting this since Jeff made sure you got that project a while back." Brandon felt outrage and it must have showed because Ashley said, "Don't get us wrong darling we rooting for you, but you said it yourself when you got it that this was a death sentence. When Katy and I saw you come in here in a funk we figured this was it."
"However, it seems Jeffy fucked up," Mel said smiling, "They all did, quite frankly. Either by letting a rumor get started in the first place, or by starting it themselves. Whichever it is doesn't really matter. What does matter is that you now have a golden opportunity. You know you're going to be let go, before they can corner you into stupid non-competitive clauses and such."
"Yeah well that's a moot point as no one worth a damn is hiring right now." Brandon said exasperated.
Mel leveled a glare at him and said, "First off, I've told you a hundred times that if you tested the open market you could name your price to most of the competitors, but being the loyal SOB that you are you stuck with the clowns you work for and duked it out with Jeffy all these years. Second, there is someone hiring that is worth a damn, its just not highly public right now is all."
"Who?" Brandon asked although he suspected he knew.
"My company of course, we're buying in huge on that sector and should be top of the line in a month or so. All we need is a person to head up the new division to manage the teams, as well as a few special projects of their own. Word is HR is having a hell of a time finding someone.
"It seems they are looking for a qualified candidate with experience that can bring big results fast and not just in managing the team, but in developments. An idea person who can inspire those below."
"That's a tough sell. I mean I know very few people like that in the industry and they are all in a position where that risk would be ludicrous. Ah, I see your problem..."
"Thing is I can bring HR their dream guy tomorrow." Mel said smiling, "Turns out I know just the guy who is fully qualified but has been pigeon holed for years."
"Okay, I get your point, and where this is going. You wouldn't happen to be able to get me in thee to talk to them tomorrow would you?"
