Page 62 of The In-Laws

Frank nodded. ‘He’s not easy, I agree. When Ross feels out of control he behaves like a school bully. He’s trying to mark his territory and be the big man in the office. He knows that you and Melanie are basically running the agency andthat worries him. He wants to be in control. He’s never been someone who’d work well collaboratively – it’s not in his nature. He wants to be the boss.’

‘So what are we supposed to do?’ Melanie said. There was simply no way she could ever work for Ross. That was not happening.

‘Let him settle and find his place. If we can figure out what he can bring to the agency, we just let him have ownership of that fiefdom and leave him to do his thing.’

‘But what is his thing?’ Melanie asked.

‘Being a wanker?’ Jamie said.

‘Being the king of irritation?’ Melanie said, and Jamie laughed.

Frank shook his head. ‘No. I’ve been thinking about it, and I think he should head up a film, TV and theatre rights department. It means the agency wouldn’t have to outsource it any more and, to be fair, Mason-White haven’t done much for us, so it’s not a huge loss. It seems to be a very tough industry where an assertive man could do well. He’s bright and he’s ambitious, and his sharp edges will soften once he’s feeling valued. He could be an asset.’

Melanie was impressed – Frank’s reasoning was solid and he had really thought this through.

‘The feedback from London is that he was a very tough negotiator and sometimes pushed too hard, but that he did get some good deals over the line,’ Jamie said.

Melanie had heard similar things. ‘I’ve heard from women that they found him verging on aggressive at times, but that he was persuasive and did get some strong deals done.’

Frank beamed. ‘You see? We just need to channel his energy and let him do his thing. All families are different, and everyone has their place.’

Before Melanie could reply that not all families were as messed up as this one, there was a commotion in the lobby.

‘NANCYYYYYYYYY! OH, NANCYYYYYYY! COME ON OUT!’

They all went out to see who was bellowing and why.

Nancy threw open her office door and limped out. ‘What on earth is going on? I was on an important call.’

Melanie froze when she saw what was happening. In the small reception area there were four middle-aged men dressed in brightly coloured striped blazers and trousers, wearing boater hats and talking in a sing-song voice.

‘ARE YOU NANCY?’ the man in the yellow trousers sang to Nancy.

‘Yes, now will someone tell me what in God’s name this is about?’

‘MMMMMMM …’ The men tuned their voices.

Oh, dear God, no, Melanie thought. They broke into song:

‘Oh dear, Nancy, I made a blunder,

In a moment of rage and thunder,

The words I used, I must confess,

Caused a mess, and such distress.

Oh, I didn’t mean to make that glitch,

I’m truly sorry, I called you a …,

Now I feel so very small,

Please forgive me, for it all.

We’ve had our ups and downs,

But I never meant to make you frown,

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