Page 100 of Corporate Escapades

On the other side of Mya, Vic wiped a tear from his cheek. “This whole experience has been eye-opening. I owe you all an apology for my terrible behavior. Some of you may not know this, but I’ve been seeing a therapist. He’s helped me to find better outlets for my anger. I’ve also found a new friend in Chase.” Turning toward Chase, he said, “You’ve been a blessing, man. Thanks for pushing me in the right direction.”

Chase smiled back at Vic. “Anytime, brother.”

“Well, hopefully not any time,” said Vic. “I really don’t want to go through this again,” he said with a grin.

Chase rolled his eyes, but smiled. “Your timing is terrible.”

“Yup. That’s my son,” said Dom, shaking his head. “Anyway, we’re proud of the changes you’ve both made, which is why we’ve decided to permanently reinstate you to your original positions within the company.”

Paris’s whole body relaxed as she exhaled. “Thank you,” she said. “You won’t regret it.”

“We’re certain we won’t,” said Nikola, with a wink.

Straightening in her seat, Jessamine said, “With the removal of Angela and Tom, there will be two senior positions open at Sense of Adventure, and we feel it’s only right to offer them to you, Mya and Chase. You don’t have to decide right now, but we hope you’ll say yes. The clients love you, and you’ve shown great strength over the past several months. Your addition will create a well-rounded team.”

“Oh, My God,” said Chase. “There’s nothing to think about. I accept!”

“Me too!” replied Mya. “I always wanted to be an event planner,” she said with a grin.

“Congratulations,” said Paris. “This is great news!”

“Wonderful!” said Dom. “I think I speak for all of us here when I say we’re pleased to have you as our newest planners.”

Vic’s eyes dropped to the table. “I have something I need to say.” The room grew quiet as everyone’s attention shifted to him. “After the alarm clock situation, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to succeed in climbing out of the hole I’d dug. I started to look into other options and found out Le Hexagon is looking for a new Chef, so I put in an application. Last Friday I had an interview, and I’ve been offered the job.”

Dom’s eyes widened in surprise. “Did you take it?” he asked.

“I haven’t decided,” said Vic. “Living on a smaller budget forced me to rely more on my cooking skills. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy it. I have until Wednesday to let them know my decision.”

“My dear,” said Jessamine. “We love you, and we want you to be happy. If taking a new position as a Chef brings you joy, then you should do so, but know we will be sad to see you go.”

Mikel pursed his lips and let out a low whistle. “This is unexpected, but whatever you decide, you’ll always have a place within ADG.”

“Thanks,” said Vic. “I’ll let you know as soon as I make a decision.”

“That particular bit of information makes this next part a bit harder,” said Dom.

Walking over to the dry erase board, Mikel wrote a single word in the center.

“Retirement?” asked Vic.

“Retirement,” echoed Dom. “That’s the word of the day.”

“Please explain,” requested Vic.

Mikel took the lead. “Well, kid, for the past couple of years, your father and I have been looking into the future of the company. We’ve discussed what else we want to achieve and where else we feel we should go. We've held the reins on ADG formany years now and, while we love our company, we’ve decided that we’d like to take a step back. We’re retiring as CEO and COO of ADG, and we’d like the positions to be filled by you and Paris.”

“This won’t happen overnight,” said Dom. “We’re planning to retire in three years, which gives us plenty of time to transition.

Paris's jaw dropped when she realized what her father had said. She’d never imagined heading up ADG so soon. “What will you do with all your free time?” she asked.

“Well, sweetheart,” replied Mikel, “I plan to work at one of our restaurants, and Dom plans to take one of your positions and go back to adventure planning for a while. We want young blood to lead ADG into an even brighter future, and while we won't be heading up the company any longer, we’ll still be here to help you out when you need guidance.”

“What do you think about that?” asked Dom.

“Wow,” replied Vic. “I don't know what to say?”

Dom smiled warmly at his son. “Say you’ll consider the job.”

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