Page 66 of Love From the Ashes
Reid rubbed his forehead again; his elbow dug into the arm of the chair. His emotions were too raw, and the events too personal to discuss. Plus, he didn’t want his mother to know what he’d said to Sofie amid his shock and anger. “This whole thing is too upsetting and personal. I don’t want to discuss it. All right?”
“It’s important that you do, and there’s a reason why I want to know. So I’m asking you, please tell me what happened. After I hear it, you and I need to discuss something I should have mentioned long ago.”
“You’re being cryptic.”
“I promise it will all make sense when I’m finished.” There was a sadness in his mother’s eyes, something buried underneath. She wasn’t the cool and calm businessperson usually sitting behind the desk.
Reid didn’t know what it was, but something in her was compelling him to talk about it, almost like there was a mutual need between them. He straightened in the chair and told his mother everything, including his horrible words to Sofie. Finished, he noticed his mother’s usual stoic countenance had softened, and she looked pained.
“I understand what Sofie’s gone through, having experienced some of it myself, although not to the same degree. And I feel devastated knowing how she must feel right now.” The look on his mother’s face was suggestive of heartache and despair, their conversation appearing to have brought distant memories to the forefront of her thoughts.
“I’ve never seen you like this, and I don’t understand what you meant when you said you’d experienced something similar,” Reid said quietly. He got up, feeling like he needed to hug his mother.
She held her hand up to stop him and motioned for him to sit back down.
Reid complied. He tilted his head at her, confused by what was happening.
“I was married to another man before your father.” His mother clasped her hands on her desk, a faraway look in her eyes. “Like Sofie, my marriage wasn’t good, and I’d entered into the contract to escape from something else. The details aren’t important right now, but the outcome is pertinent. I ran from my husband and ended up in a women’s shelter. I managed to secure an interview with a software company while there, and your father was one of the executives on the panel. Based on my history and lack of experience, the other two men on the panel were passing me over, like all the other companies I’d interviewed with had done before. But your father looked beyond all that and saw something in me. He talked the others into giving me a chance, and the company hired me. I blossomed in the job, proving myself and eventually becoming their human resources manager.”
Reid leaned forward, his voice delicate as he said, “I understand the correlation with Sofie, but this is different.”
“Let me finish, please.”
He nodded and sat back in his chair.
“Your father and I fell in love with each other, and I told him everything about my past and what I’d gone through. And this is the most important part. Your father never rejected me or made me feel bad or inferior. He didn’t judge me by what others had done or the decisions I was forced to make. He loved me for who I was, told me he was proud of me, and completely supported my goals and desire to stand on my own two feet and become the person I wanted to be. Those actions, Reid, have the power to change someone’s life.”
“Are you saying this is what I need to do for Sofie?”
“Yes. Put yourself in Sofie’s shoes. Can you imagine what she’s been through and everything she’s endured? She has grit, determination, and an abundance of perseverance. She’s managed to get back on her feet and move forward where many others have failed. You can’t blame her for what others have done. We don’t get to choose our families, and their degenerate personalities and behaviors shouldn’t be an automatic reflection of ourselves. If that were the case, you’d be just like Geoff, wouldn’t you?”
“I see your point. And I know I shouldn’t have been so hard on Sofie last night. I was just so blown away and shocked by what was happening. I still am, but I shouldn’t have pushed her away. That was wrong. I need to talk to her. She must feel as awful today as I do. Before I go, I have to ask. Did you create the company’s employment assistance program with the women’s shelter because of what you’d gone through?”
“I did. The shelter helped me when I thought there was no hope, and I wanted to give something back and help others who found themselves in my situation. I told your father what I wanted to do, and he supported me one hundred percent. Mavin was my first hire.”
“Mavin? Seriously?”
“Absolutely. Mavin’s been with me for twenty years and is one of my most valuable employees besides becoming a dear friend. She’s as dedicated and loyal as I knew she could be. All she needed was for someone to give her a chance. I did, and she’s proven herself multiple times over.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Morgan,” Mavin said from the doorway as if on cue. “Mr. Kingsley is here and says he needs to speak with you. He says he’s been trying to call you.”
“That’s strange. I haven’t heard my phone ring.” Reid pulled it from his pocket and looked at it. “Dammit, the battery is dead.” He looked at his mother and frowned. “I needed to charge it last night, but with everything that happened, I got completely sidetracked.” He swung back toward Mavin. “Can you bring Armand in here, please?”
“Yes, sir.” Mavin backed away from the door and disappeared.
“Reid?” Armand said a moment later, standing in the doorway.
“Take a seat, please,” Reid said, motioning to the guest chair next to him. “Mavin said you’ve been trying to get a hold of me. What can I help you with?”
Armand took a seat in the chair. “Well, I was somewhat shocked by Sofie’s email this morning since it was so unexpected. I wanted to talk to you about it. I’ll need to know if her decision is permanent and if I should be filling her position.”
Reid narrowed his eyes at Armand, a puzzled look overtaking his face. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. What email did Sofie send you?”
“Her resignation email. She sent it to me this morning.” Armand looked uncomfortable and shifted in the chair. “I apologize. I thought you knew. She sent me an email saying she was resigning her position, effective today.”
“When did she send it?” The urgency in Reid’s voice was unmistakable.
“An hour ago. Sofie sent it from a mobile phone.”