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“It is all about you,” said Michael. “This plant, in fact, this company, will survive only because of the smart and hard work that everyone is doing here.”

“I know we can get the job done,” replied Byron.

“I know you can too,” reassured Michael. “Have you been able to rehire the ones that Milton made you let go?”

“All but one,” said Byron. “Joel Baines refused to come back.”

“That’s strange,” pondered Michael. “He and father were here from day one. They became good friends over the years.”

“I know. He said he had made plans to do something else,” explained Byron.

“Well, I hate it,” said Michael. “We sure could have used his experience.”

“I definitely agree,” said Byron. “But I was able to replace him easy enough.”

“How so?”

“Strangely enough a man came in with one of Milton’s business cards,” explained Byron. “He said Milton told him to come here and we would give him a job.”

“Milton said that?” questioned Michael.

“Yeah, go figure,” said Byron. “But he’s shown up every day and is learning the job.”

“Good.”

As both men looked over the people working in the plant, they reflected on all that had happened over the past two months. Milton had been killed in the attack of 9/11. Thankfully James, Dot, and Millie had escaped. Now it was up to Michael to run the company that his father had started. He felt the pressure of trying to save a company that was struggling in the aftermath of 9/11 and the mismanagement of his late brother, Milton.

“You know, there are a lot people who are still working here only because of you,” offered Byron.

“Well, I think you can have a successful business without being such an asshole,” replied Michael.

“With all due respect to the dead,” said Bryon. “That is exactly what a lot people thought Milton was.”

“Milton always said he wasn’t running a popularity contest,” said Michael.

“Well, you supervise a lot like your father,” offered Byron. “That’s why people worked for him and why he was so successful.”

“Thank you,” replied Michael. “But sometimes I don’t feel successful. With the shortfall we’re experiencing, we’re going to have to figure something out or it will be all for nothing.”

James approached the men.

“Excuse me, sir,” interrupted James. “You said to remind you that we had to leave by noon.”

“Oh, that’s right. Thank you James,” said Michael. “Byron, keep doing what you’re doing. I’m going back to the office and see what we can do to keep the ball rolling.”

Byron shook Michael’s hand and said, “I know you’ll figure something out. Everybody knows you can do it.”

“Well, I hope so.”

On the ride back to the office Michael was unusually quiet. Finally James broke the silence.

“I heard from Millie today.”

“Oh. How is she?” asked Michael.

“She said she is doing much better,” replied James. “She also said she was not coming back to work.”

“What? Why?”

“Well, it seems her mother left her quite a fortune,” explained James. “She’s been in Europe for the past few weeks trying to put it all together.”

“She didn’t know about this?” inquired Michael.

“Evidently not. Her mother was somewhat of a recluse,” said James. “Her fortune was hidden in the European market and Millie has finally unraveled all of it.”

“Well, good for her,” reflected Michael. “Although, I must admit that I’ll really miss her.”

“You know Milton wanted me to get rid of her,” offered James.

“James, you know better than most people, that Milton was only interested in himself,” said Michael. “He wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that ‘it was all about’ him.”

“Yes, sir. It’s strange how things have worked out,” replied James. “Did you know Millie really likes you?”

“Well, that’s nice.”

“No, sir. I mean she really likes you,” explained James.

“Are you serious?” a shocked Michael replied. “I guess I’ve just been too busy to notice.”

“Dot offered to get you two together,” explained James. “But Millie was afraid of what Milton might try to do. So she kept a low profile.”

“Well, I’m glad things are working out well for her,” said Michael. “She really likes me?”

“Yes sir,” laughed James.

Shortly James and Michael arrived at the office. Michael went inside while James put the car away.

“Good morning, sir,” said Dot.

“Good morning, Dorothy,” replied Michael. “How’s the best looking secretary in New York doing?”

“Oh, sir,” blushed Dot. “Peter has called for you.”

“I hope he has some good news for a change,” said Michael. “Would you please get him on the phone for me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Michael walked into his office and sat at his desk. It was a very modest office. In fact, it was too modest for his late brother Milton. . The desire for a more lavish office was only one of the many schemes Milton did that now threaten to bankrupt the company.

Dot came into Michael’s office and told him Peter was holding on line one.

“Hello, Peter. Tell me something good.”

“Well, I don’t know how good it is,” replied a somber Peter. “But I do have it down to the final figures.”

“How bad is it?”

“Our best estimate is you’re going to be $6 million short,” informed Peter.

Michael buried his head into his hands for a few moments.

“We can’t survive with that,” lamented Michael. “I was hoping against all hope that it would be better.”

“What about the banks?” asked Peter.

“We just look too bad to them,” said Michael. “With Milton’s doings and the aftermath of 9/11, they’re not ready to take a chance on us.”

“Any new projects that could infuse some cash?” questioned Peter.

“There is one pending in the Dominican Republic that would initially be worth $3 million,” offered Michael. “I’m going there next week to see if we can win the contract. But that is only half of what we need.”

“Well, I’ve got some people working on a few things,” offered Peter. “If they come through, it will not solve your problems, but it will help.”

“Anything you can do will really help,” said Michael. “You’re a good friend Peter.”

“So are you Michael,” replied Peter. “You’ve always had the best interest of the company at heart. I just want to help you all I can.”

“Well, I know that’s the way Dad started and ran the company,” said Michael. “His heart was with the people that made the company. And they rewarded him with hard work and, of course, he made some good money as the results.”

“Speaking of your father,” said Peter. “We found some old papers of his. They appear to be some private thoughts he had about some employees. I don’t know if they really mean anything today, but I’ve had them sent to you.”

“Yeah, I’ll look them over and see if there’s anything in them,” replied Michael. “You know, Peter, there are times when I miss him terribly.”

“I know you do,” comforted Peter. “If he was here today, I know he would be behind you 100%. You know, he told me several times; he wanted you to take over the company when he retired. But your mother thought Milton, being the oldest, should handle things.”

“Well, Mom was trying to please everybody,” offered Michael.

“You know I love your mother,” replied Peter. “But her heart is far better than her sense of business.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Listen, Dot told me Millie was not coming back,” said Peter. “You know she’s always been sweet on you.”

“I guess I’m the last person to find that out,” said Michael.

“The man always is,” replied Peter. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“You like her, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah, . . .”

“Let me quote Milton here,” offered Peter. “Are you going to let her know? ‘It’s a simple question. Yes or no’?”

“Just for that, when I figure it out, you’re going to be the last person I tell,” laughed Michael.

“Hang in there, buddy. I’ll let you know if I find someone who can help,” replied Peter.

“Thank you, Peter.”

Dot came into Michael’s office.

“Excuse me sir,” she said. “Your mother is on line three.”

“Thank you Dot.”

“Mom, how are you today?”

“Oh, Michael. I have the most wonderful news,” exclaimed his mother.

“Why? What’s going on,” a bemused Michael said.

“I’m getting married!”

“You’re what??” said a shocked Michael.

“Now there’s no need to try and talk me out of it,” exclaimed his mother. “My mind is made up.”

“Well, that’s uh, good, uh, with who?” asked a confused Michael.

“Joel Baines!”

“Joel Baines?”

“Oh, Michael, he’s been wonderful,” his mother said. “I’m in love again. I feel like a teenager!”

“You sound kind of giddy,” offered Michael.

“Now be kind to your mother,” she ordered. “No one knows how lonely I’ve been since your father passed away. Joel is a wonderful man.”

“Well, Mom, if you’re happy, then I’m happy,” replied Michael. “I didn’t know you two were even in touch with each other.”

“Oh, I haven’t seen Joel since your father’s funeral,” explained his mother. “But he called when he was laid off at the plant. We started talking and then after Milton’s memorial we started seeing each other. Oh, Michael you just can’t imagine how good I feel!”

“Have you two lovebirds set a date yet?” asked Michael.

“No, but we’re not going to wait very long,” his mother said. “When you get our age, there’s no need to wait.”

“Well, you know, Mom, I’ll gladly support anything you want to do,” said Michael.

“I’m so glad to hear you say that,” replied his mother. “Because I want Joel to start running the company.”

“Do what??”

“That’s what I want,” his mother said. “He’s been with the company from the start. No one knows it better and he has some great ideas.”

“But Mom,” objected Michael. “I’ve been at the helm for two months now. I assumed that I was going to continue as CEO.”

“No, we need Joel to take over the reins,” asserted his mother.

“But Mom, I’m family,” a dejected Michael said. “I’ve got plans in the work that are going to pull this company through and make it stronger than it ever has been.”

“But you see son, that’s been the problem,” his mother said. “For the last two months the company has been suffering. I get the reports that Peter sends out. I know what’s going on. You’ve tried your best, son, but you just don’t have the business savvy that Milton had.”

“Mom you don’t understand,” pleaded Michael. “The problems we’ve had are the result of what Milton was doing. You can call Peter and ask him. He’ll tell you.”

“Don’t you dare talk about your brother like that,” chastised his mother. “May he rest in peace. Don’t you ever speak of him like that again to me!”

“But, Mom, I, . . .”

“That’s enough, Michael,” scolded his mother. “My mind is made up. Joel will be taking over as CEO next week when he gets back from his trip. Now you collect yourself together and you come up and see me over the weekend.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good-bye, Michael. I love you.”

For the longest time Michael sat in shock and stared out his window. After awhile, he gathered himself together and walked to the outer office.

“Are you leaving, sir?” asked Dot.

“Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Michael said as he hurried out the door. He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks.

The next morning Michael arrived early at the office.

“Good morning, sir,” Dot said as she checked to make sure he was all right.

“Good morning.”

Without saying anything further, Michael went into his office. In a few minutes, James entered Michael’s office.

“Good morning, Michael,” said James.

“Oh, good morning, James,” returned Michael.

“Sir, is everything all right?” inquired James.

“Oh, yes, well, uhh, no, it’s not,” confessed Michael. “Mom is getting married.”

“Well, if you don’t mind me saying so, I have always thought she was a fine lady,” confessed James. “Who is the lucky man?”

“Joel Baines.”

“That is interesting. Is that what’s upsetting you?” asked James.

“Oh, no. But she wants Joel to take over the company as CEO,” revealed Michael.

“Why would she want that?” asked a surprised James.

“She doesn’t think I’m doing the job,” confessed Michael. “She thinks Joel will run the company the way Milton did.”

“I’m not sure that would be a good thing,” observed James. “There are many people in this company, and I am proudly one of them, who know this company is you. It’s all about you, Michael.”

“Well, there’s not much I can do about it,” Michael replied. “Dad left everything to Mom, and she calls the shots.”

“Sir, she doesn’t know how the people here feel about you and what all you have done to keep this company afloat,” asserted James. “In fact, the payroll department informed Dot this morning that you have not cashed your pay checks for the last two months.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t feel right with the company struggling like it is,” confessed Michael. “I can get by awhile without it.”

“There’s not too many people, much less CEO’s, who would do that,” observed James.

“Well, it’s not a big deal,” mused Michael. “Of course, I’m sure in Mom’s eyes it would just confirm that I don’t have the business sense that Milton did.”

“You have much more, sir,” James said. “You have the respect and trust of the people around you. That is a collateral that will pay hefty dividends in the future.”

“Well, I guess it’s a mute point,” offered Michael. “Mom has made up her mind.”

“Sir, if I may add one more thing,” James asked. “One day your mother will realize that, with all regard to the dead, not many here miss Milton. I can say with certainty that no one misses the way he treated others.”

“Well, he was my brother and I miss him,” confessed Michael. “But you know, I almost hate to admit it, but I don’t think I miss him the way I should.”

“Yes, sir. You know one of the last things Milton said to me was, ‘Not everyone who dies is a saint’,” revealed James. “I’m afraid that was all too true in his case.”

“Well, James, starting next week you’re going to have another CEO to baby-sit,” mused Michael.

“We’ll see sir. Fate can do strange things sometimes,” replied James. “Oh, by the way, here is the package that Peter sent to you. I’ll leave you to go over it.”

“Thank you, James. Thank you for everything.”

Michael sat at his desk and stared into space for a few minutes. After awhile he opened the package and started to read the personal papers and notes that his father had written before he died. Just when he was starting to become tired of reading, his eyes fell upon the notes his father had written about some of the employees. He read with interest about one particular employee.

Michael finished reading his father’s papers. He sat rubbing his chin trying to digest all that he had read when Dot entered his office.

“Excuse me, sir,” Dot said. “Joel Baines is on line two for you.”

“Thank you, Dot.”

“Hello Joel.”

“Michael, my boy,” said Joel. “I just spoke with your mother and she said she had told you the good news.”

“Good news for who?” asked Michael.

“For your mother, me, and I would think, especially for you,” offered Joel. “You’ve been without a father for some time now.”

“You’ll never be my father,” shot back Michael. “So don’t even try.”

“Well, have it your way,” replied Joel. “Father or not, your mother wants me to take over running the company. I’m going to do that and I expect your full cooperation.”

“I don’t see that I have any other choice, for now,” observed Michael.

“No, you don’t,” said Joel. “I’m on my way to the Dominican Republic and when I get back we’ll make the change.”

“Why are you going there?” asked a bewildered Michael.

“As you well know, we have that contract pending,” replied Joel. “So I’m going down there to seal the deal.”

“You ass hole!” shouted Michael. “You know I was going down there next week! I’ve been working on that contract and they were prepared to deal with me.”

“Your mother and I felt like it would be better if a more experience person went,” explained Joel. “In other words, my boy, you ain’t got the balls to get the job done. My God, Michael, look at the company. A few more weeks under your leadership and there will be no company.”

“You ass hole!”

“Well, there may be some truth to that,” mused Joel. “But starting next week, this ass is the one you’re going to be kissing. So get use to it.”

“Where are you?” asked Michael as he regained his composure. “I’ve got some of Dad’s old papers that I want to show you.”

“It’ll have to wait,” replied Joel. “I’m at Kennedy International. My flight leaves in a few minutes.”

“Well, we’ll look at them when you get back,” offered Michael. “I’m sure you will find them as interesting as I did.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It appears that you were not such a trusted friend of my father’s after all,” explained Michael. “He documented all your unexplained cash shortages, not to mention, the company’s property that came up missing.”

“None of that’s true.”

“He also wrote that you were deep in debt to the mob,” Michael continued. “On one paper he tells of his intention of letting you go.”

“I don’t know a thing about that,” replied Joel.

“And then I got to thinking,” continued Michael. “With all this mob connection, and all the money you owed them, maybe they didn’t want you to leave the company. I’m sure they benefited by the company’s property coming up missing.”

“What are you getting at,” asked Joel.

“Well, now I’m just thinking out loud here,” mused Michael. “You know my father’s accident was never fully explained. Oh, we got the official explanation, but it never did feel right. Was my father’s death an accident?”

“You’re going into something you best leave alone, boy,” Joel said as his voice took on a darker tone.

“Joel, I just find it very interesting that my father decides to end your employment just before he dies,” explained Michael. “You go on your little trip and while you’re gone I’m going to show these papers to a lawyer. Then we’ll decide whether to take them to the police.”

“Look here you little prick,” shouted Joel. “You ain’t got nothing! You can’t prove a thing!”

“We’ll see.”

“Look, you’re dealing with the big boys now,” Joel said, as he was calming down. “Your mother loves me and she wants me to run this company. If you fight me on this, I’ve got friends that can change your mind in a hurry.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Yes it is.”

“Flight 587 to the Dominican Republic is now boarding.”

“It sounds like your flight is ready,” offered Michael.

“Yeah, I’ve got to go,” replied Joel. “We’ll talk more about this when I get back. You just make sure you have your things out of my desk when I see you, my boy.”

“Go to hell.”

Michael decided to read his father’s personal papers again. In all that had happened over the last two months, he had forgotten how much he missed his father. When his father was alive he was a rock that Michael could always depend on. Michael did know one thing, if his father’s death was anything but an accident, he was determined that whoever was responsible would pay. Justice would be served.

Dot came into Michael’s office.

“James told me about your mother wanting Joel to take over the company,” she said.

“Yes, I’m afraid it’s true,” replied Michael.

“Is he on his way over here now?” asked Dot.

“No, he’s on his way to the Dominican Republic,” explained Michael. “He’s gone down there to work on the contract.”

“He’s flying there today?” Dot asked.

“Yeah, he just called from the airport,” Michael said. “He should be on his way now.”

“Michael,” Dot said as her face turned pale white. “I think you’d better turn on the TV.”

“ Just two months and one day since the tragedy of 9/11, New York is again suffering from the results of an airplane crash. The FBI is saying that there are no indications that this crash was the result of some terrorist act. All we know at this time is that Flight 587 had just taken off from Kennedy International Airport bound for the Dominican Republic when it slammed into the neighborhood here at Belle Harbor, Queens, New York.  Apparently there are no survivors.”

 “My God! Joel was on that plane.” 

THE END

Copyright ©2003 by Jerry W. Crews

All About Us (2nd and final sequel to "All About Me")