Part 16 (2/2)
”Penny, if I tell you the source of my information then Ill be involved and could be dragged into the process. If things go badly, I could be called as a witness to a tribunal. Regardless, I want to help. Let me pretend this is a hypothetical case. You use the information as you see fit.”
I was angry. He seemed to have more information than I did.
”Dyou want me to continue?” he asked.
I struggled to keep my emotions in check. When I felt in control again, I nodded.
”Her boss has a reputation for being sympathetic to his staff. Hes been known to intervene personally sometimes and help people out when their personal lives are troubled. Mick listens to Elena and realises shes in a difficult situation. Nath then tells his old school friend that Elena came onto him and was flirting with all her work colleagues. Her boyfriend reacts badly. He storms around and tells her the wedding is off. Her parents are furious. Every day she goes home they argue with her and tell her shes ruined everything. She becomes desperate to leave home.”
It was my turn to start nodding. I did not know where he was getting this information but suddenly things started to make more sense. He continued the story.
”Micks known for his kindness. Once he helped a work colleague suffering abuse. Hed risked his own marriage to get her out. He put her up at his home until she found a new home.”
As these words came out, I could feel the shock rise through me as I realised where all this was coming from. John knew Mike. Id never told John exactly where I worked. He never asked. It never seemed relevant. Pin-p.r.i.c.ks shuddered all the way through me. For a moment, I reeled, completely bewildered. Luckily, the waitress brought the drinks and asked for our order. Having recovered my composure, I asked John questions.
”What happened to....Mick?” I asked.
”The situation got so bad that Micks wife gave him an ultimatum. Either the work colleague leaves or the marriage is over. Mick gave in, on the condition that he be allowed to help her find a place to live. He hoped that would be the end, but later his wife learned that hed given money to buy furniture. Micks wife felt betrayed. She kicked him out. With nowhere else to go.....Mick....moved into a flat with his work colleague. They became extremely close but were never lovers. After a few months of Mick calling his wife every day, she finally relented and let him go back home. There was a condition, however, that he never bring another woman into their home. Mick agreed.”
I felt I knew where the story was heading and my sense of dread started to increase. My head dropped and my eyes fixed on the table as John continued talking.
”Elena wanted Mick to let her have his spare room. Mick was sympathetic, said that he would help her, but could not let her move into his house or give her any money. Elena was angry because shed heard how Mick had helped someone else. Elena told him private details about her life and now felt abandoned. In a rage, she goes around to Naths house and tells him what hes done. Nath tells her to 'p.i.s.s off. She goes into work the next day and is angry, not with Nath, but with Mick and shouts at him for not helping her. She tries again to persuade Mick to take her in, but he refuses. She wont calm down so Mick tries to persuade her to leave the building and continue the conversation at a local pub for a drink. She resists so he takes hold of her by the arm and makes her leave. Someone walking past stops to watch and immediately reports the scene to their manager.”
My head just hung there as I looked down at the table. I did not speak for several minutes.
”What a total f.u.c.king mess!”
John was silent so I looked up at him feeling completely at a loss.
”It gets worse, Penny.”
”Worse? How could it get worse?”
”You may want a stiff drink. Are you ready?”
”I need a stiff drink now!” I said trying to lighten the mood but Johns face was implacable. There was more to come and I had to hear it.
”There is another hypothetical character, lets call her Pen.”
At the mention of this name, another shock wave went through me and I became rigid with fear.
”Mick, because of the past, did not tell his wife why he had recently changed job. He was concerned that his wife would pre-judge the situation and end the marriage. So, he told a half-truth, that the new job was a promotion rather than a convenient solution to an accusation of s.e.xual hara.s.sment. However, one day, Pen calls his house announcing herself as the Head of Human Resources and that Mick should be in a disciplinary meeting. His wifes curiosity is fired and she relentlessly asks questions until Mick tells her the whole story.”
”Well, in some ways Im relieved,” I said.
”She threw him out again,” said John.
”She did what?” I said. ”Why the h.e.l.l did she do that?”
”At the moment hes staying at a hotel with a friend.”
No prizes for guessing who the 'friend is, I thought.
”Hes been to a solicitor. She feels the problem lies with the way Pen handled the original complaint, a clear case of s.e.x discrimination and failure to observe natural justice principles now enshrined in law. There is also the issue of the call to his home. The solicitor takes the view that Pen has not fulfilled her duty of care to all the parties concerned.”
My body froze a second time, and my eyes dropped as I let John finish.
”Today hes going to bring his solicitor.”
”He cant do that!” I interject.
”He and his solicitor have checked the employment contract. It says he can bring a friend if there is a disciplinary hearing. Theres nothing to say whether the friend must be a work colleague or not. The solicitor is coming as a friend. At least, that is the story he will stick to if challenged.”
”Is that true?” I ask.
”It is. Shes been a friend since his university days.”
I was silent.
”f.u.c.king mess was about right, I think, Penny!” said John.
I did not know how to feel. Could I really have got everything so wrong?
”Well, thats one way of looking at things,” I commented sardonically.
”Penny!” John exclaimed.
Suddenly, I lost my appet.i.te. My head was spinning while I tried to work out what to do.
”Why are you telling me?” I asked in a slightly accusing way.
”Because I couldnt let you go into your meeting later today completely unprepared.”
I felt attacked from all sides and my defences started to bristle.
”How n.o.ble of you!” I retorted.
”M....Mick....has been a life-long friend of mine. He led my scouts group when I was a kid. Ive not known a kinder more honest man in my entire life. He doesnt know that I know you. If he did, or knew Im telling you this, he might terminate our friends.h.i.+p.”
”So its all lads altogether is it?”
I didnt know where these words were coming from, but part of me sensed that I had to get out of the restaurant and find Dave. I needed to talk to the legal department of the company before the meeting. Panic overwhelmed me. This could be the end of my career. What was I to do?
”Where did that come from?” he demanded.
”Just let me think a moment, this is all too much,” I snapped.
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