FORSAKEN SON-IN-LAW

CHAPTER SEVEN

I just sat there, not knowing what I was supposed to do or say about the matter at hand. I didn’t expect things to turn out the way they did. After such a successful time at the wine company, my thoughts were it was going to be the same as the Arsenal. But I was proven wrong.

“We can’t have a kid leading us. This place requires someone more educated in this area, and to top it off, he knows nothing about this place and what we make,” a man in his late forties spoke.

I looked from Joseph to Roland, but their faces gave me nothing I could have used to my advantage, I was stuck. And my fears came back. What if they don’t like me? What if I fail my parents?

“We just have to be critical about this. Yes, his parents had the majority shares, and that makes him our…. Boss. But do we have to allow this company to go down the wrong path because of blood?” he asked and people began talking almost themselves.

After a while I cleared my throat and everyone turned to look at me, “I know this is random. And you are right about what you have been saying Mr….”

“Zimba.”

“Mr. Zimba. But don’t you think judging me just like this is a bit unfair? You haven’t given me time to prove myself. At least let me try to see, if I don’t do great, then someone else can take over. And I have you guys to help me with everything. This company won’t be as successful if I run it myself without the help of you guys,” I spoke as I looked at each of them.

There was silence as people talked in whispers to each other. But the only person that seemed to have a problem with everything was one man. Mr. Zimba.

“We don’t run trys here. People have made their orders and we have to deliver. Not try to fail. We might put people’s lives in danger, Justine,” he spoke as he began going through the file that everyone seemed to have.

Not knowing what to do, I also began looking through the pages to see what the old fork was trying to say. “That is why I said I have you guys to help me if I’m to go wrong. I need your support if this company is to go up there. I didn’t ask for all this. I didn’t ask my parents not to show me all this. So, I don’t think I deserve the judgment, sir. Educate me on what I’m supposed to do, then see if I don’t learn even then,” I spoke. Trying to sound calmer than I actually felt.

“Zimba, the boy is right. And I will be here to guide him along the way. That is why his parents left me here in the first place. I ran this Arsenal before and I will teach him the little he knows. And as he said, you all are here to help him just like you did with his parents,” Roland spoke and smiled at me. I just gladly returned the smile.

Mr. Zimba just took his file and left without a word. But the rest remained and the meeting and welcoming proceeded.

Even though it started off the wrong note, things went well the rest of the day for me. Everyone seemed nice to him except for Zimba. But because of my position, you might not know if someone is being nice because they are genuinely nice or because you are the boss and they have no choice but to be nice.

The all day went just as perfectly. I learned more about the Arsenal and what they made. And I took some black marbles for transport. They might come in hand more than I might actually think.

“You don’t have to listen to him about this all thing. Zimba is like that. And mostly because there was someone that come and offered to buy the Arsenal at a higher price,” a young man that looked to be younger than me spoke.

He had a wispy moustache and short black hair which he allowed to stand up straight like a cartoon character that has just suffered from shock. And his light eyes seemed to go well with his dark skin.

I and the young man sat in my office as they talked. He was my trainer… kind of. The man that is supposed to teach me what I didn’t know about the company and the like. And the man has been helpful so far.

“He can be a handful,” he added as he looked over at some files that he later handed to me.

But my thoughts were elsewhere. Someone wanted to buy the Arsenal, and that was why Zimba was acting up, trying to make me look bad. But I blushed it off as I concentrated on the matter at hand – will deal with that later.

We talked for a while and in those few hours I had spent with the man; I had learnt a few more things about the Arsenal and what they made.

About an hour later, I was left in my office alone. Thinking about all the wealthy I just acquired overnight. It was all good, and the fact that it was taking effect with my X-Wife and her family, I was delighted about the whole thing.

But I need to be careful with what I said and what I do, because one man already doesn’t like me and all because he would rather they sell the company to the man that offered to buy it at a rather tempting price.

But my family has been running the Arsenal for years as far as Roland told me. So, letting go of it wasn’t an option and will never be an option. I need to do whatever it took to make this work and be as good as my parents were in running the place.

The door blew inwards, and Joseph entered. Looking tired than usual.

“Is this how we will be tired every day?” he asked as he took a sit.

I sighed, then looked at him, “I don’t think so. It was just that we had to visit both places. It will all be fine.” I spoke, but I seemed lost in thoughts.

This might actually be harder than I thought.