I’ll have the pleasure of his company after, when I go through the ground rules.”
“Ground rules? In this place?” He flashes me a smile which I’m sure many have found endearing.
I take offense at that dig. “We run a tight ship here. Don’t think that because these people are more vulnerable than most that we don’t treat them like employees. We have more checks and balances in place, more stringent rules and regulations because of the nature of the business.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He puts his hands up in a placating gesture but that cocky smirk on his face offends me even more. He’s laughing at me. It’s not only on his lips, but there’s a twinkling of mischief in his eyes. Something I can’t pinpoint.
“Let’s go for that tour around the factory floor,” Simona says, ushering Brad out of the door. She gives me a scowl over her shoulder, which Brad obviously doesn’t see.
I call Fredrich, only because I need someone to talk to. Someone who can calm me down.
“What?” He sounds as if he’s half asleep.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.” I put the phone down, feeling bad that I’d woken him. Fredrich calls back immediately. “Do you need me to come in?”
“What? No. I didn’t check the time before I called you.” I drop my head, running my fingers along my brow. Fredrich is always ready and willing to work, even when he isn’t one hundred percent fit enough. He was a great hire. He’s not a vulnerable person, not from the streets or anything like that. He used to go for a run around the block and one day, out of curiosity, he walked in and asked what we were doing. When I explained to him the business idea, he was so enthused, he wouldn’t stop bugging me to take him on. Like Brad, he also offered to work for free. He’s grown with the company. “Go back to sleep.” I insist, but he tells me that he’s up now, and asks if I need him to do anything from home.
“Absolutely not. Don’t lift a finger. We have help now.”
“You hired Brad?”
“Yes. Simona’s giving him a tour of the factory floor.”
“Cool. I hope he’s not going to replace me.”
I snort. “Not a chance.” No one could ever replace Fredrich. “I won’t be surprised if he bails on us real quick.”
“Why do you say that?”
“It’s only a hunch.” I don’t say anything more, because if Brad is working here, I need team unity, and it’s not fair for me to put ideas in his head about the new guy. But I saw his face at the food night. I could see behind his shock and dismay. Not everyone can do this work, and Brad is probably one of those people.
I hang up and get back to work, but the morning has been different with Fredrich gone and the new guy here.
Simona returns with our new hire a short while later. He goes and takes his place at Fredrich’s desk, a move I find slightly presumptuous, given that I haven’t told him where to sit. Though Fredrich’s chair is the only one that’s empty.
“Make yourself at home,” I say dryly as he sits down and shifts around in it, trying to make himself comfortable. I laugh inwardly. This must be such a disappointment if he was expecting something made of expensive leather and soft padding.
“Fredrich’s off for a week, maybe more, week so you can sit where he usually does.” I have no idea where to put this guy when Fredrich comes back. This room is too small to accommodate another desk, but maybe by then Brad will be long gone.
“I have an employee contract for you to sign,” I say. “Just to be clear, this is a volunteer non-paying position.”
“I’m absolutely fine with that. I don’t expect to be paid.”
“Good, because you won’t be.”
He laughs as he scratches his nose. “You’re the one who headhunted me, so you obviously need me around.”
“You have Fredrich to thank.” I glare at him, and try not to get too carried away by a myriad of images flooding my mind about how I could wipe that condescending smile off his face. The nerve of the man. Already. “If he hadn’t injured his arm, I wouldn’t have called you.”
“I’ll have to thank Fredrich,” he says, making himself at home in Fredrich’s chair.
“I’m making a cup of tea,” Simona announces, purely for Brad’s benefit. I shift uneasily in my chair because