Jilted Kerri Saunders

After a few drinks the mother revealed her indifference, saying openly, "I was rather surprised Kerri your took up with another man so quickly after your last aborted effort."

Kerri looked stonily at her mother and Cass nodded profoundly. What was there to say? The biggest surprise was Mrs Saunders had said that. He was glad Kerri hadn't said, 'The another man has a name mother'. And why was Mrs Saunders apparently blaming Kerri for being dropped two days out from the altar: 'her last aborted effort'? and what did she mean by last – had there been others?

It was rather too much. At the first opportunity he whispered, "Can we go now?"

Kerri replied, "My poor lamb. It would be polite if we endured this for another hour but let's zap out of here in thirty minutes."

"Thanks darling."

"The pleasure is all mine. You may pleasure me tonight."

Late that night, as they were about to couple for the second time, Cass asked, "Are you about ready to accept a marriage proposal?"

"Yes, how nice of your to ask. Gawd, you are thick this time."

The women were away on The Great Shopping Spree. Cass and his father cooked the meal left prepared by numbers, double-checking the times and only just missing breaking two serving dishes when getting in each other's way.

After they cleared away they sat in the lounge looking morose.

"It's horribly quiet in here," Matt complained. "Why's that?"

"No women."

"Are you trying to tell me women liven up a place? It's the men who do that."

"Men just fill in the holes with grunts."

"You can't be serious Cass."

"Could you talk about something else dad? You're making me miss mom and Kerri."

"How long have they been gone?"

"Almost ten hours."

"It feels like two days."

"Dad? Lay off."

"Okay, okay. When are you going to make an honest woman out of Kerri?"

"When we settle down."

"But you two are settled and we love having you here."

"Kerri wants to be hired by someone who'll allow her to make executive decisions."

"What?"

Cass sighed. "I said Kerri wants to be hired..."

"I heard you say that. She's virtually working for us as operations manager."

"True, but operating your way. She'd not allowed to change a production run, design new packaging or introduce a new product without close referral to you and your rejection outright of her suggestion is running just over 90%."

"I am appalled. Fetch the whisky bottle son."

Later Matt confided he was so depressed. The thought of Kerri not being at the office every day appalled him.

"Dad, she's only drafted a reply to that company seeking a director of operations. I'm pretty sure she hasn't sent it."

"Well, I'll fix that. I'm giving her a hefty pay rise. It will mean she'll be earning more than you but that's what happens to bean counters."

"Thank you dad, I promise I won't be offended by your remark or your actions but it won't work."

"Won't work. Whoever turns down money?"

"Meet Kerri dad, she wants greater autonomy not more money and she has spent at least a month restructuring your business."

"But my business doesn't need restructuring. Everyone knows that."

"Except Kerri dad. Want to see her plan? It's on her laptop."

There was a knock on the door. A courier guy handed Cass a heavy carton and a packing slip and said there were thirteen more items in the elevator.

"What on earth are couriers doing delivering at 9:45 at night?"

"The consignee, your wife, requested urgent delivery because they can't move around their hotel room for shopping."

"How much shopping is that?"

"Lots of it dad. Listen, you have to learn to trust women when you give them money."

"This is becoming too much for me."

"It's called life and life changes dad. Get used to it."

Bleary-eyed, Matt looked at the notes he'd made sitting in front of the laptop with Cass. "I can't believe this. It's not the business I know. Product lines slashed by 58%, staff reduced by 55%, the business restricted to three floors, the top floor leased at as premium space after $233,000 in upgrading costs including rebuilding the elevator, a five-times increase in gross turnover and this net return is simply obscene."

"Well, it's theory dad. There's your way of shipping distributors product they expect from you or Kerri and her cohort's way of surveying to find what end-users want and spending a lot more on marketing and slashing overheads while doing that. I've spent huge time on the financials dad and if Kerri's surveying and marketing produce the results she says they will then I'm very confident of my figures."

"Then if this revolution is the way to go, why haven't you and Kerri sat down with me and tried to convince me of it?"

"Because you are too pigheaded dad."

"Did Kerri agree with that?"

"No, she said you'd look at the big cuts in staffing and say, "No way, most of these people have been with me for years."

"That's Kerri; that girl has brains and an understanding of people Cass which is something beyond the comprehension of you bean counters."

"Thanks dad."

"What now?"

"Kerri told us what would happen but we didn't believe her."

Matt said ominously, "Who is we?"

"Mom and me."

"You mean Vienna has been in on this with you two from the outset?"

"Well, I guess I now let the cat out of the bag and say yes."

Matt scowled: "This is a conspiracy Cass and you three are in it up to your necks. The women going shopping together and sending back horrifying amounts of shopping is part of the softening up process. Then phase two kicks in and you reveal this secret plan in great confidentiality and a barrel is held to my head: either cute Kerri gets to play company reformer or she packs her toys and leaves."

"There you go dad. Mom and I reckoned introducing this restructuring plan by stealth would fail because you hadn't the brains to work out this sly maneuver. But Kerri disagreed. She said you hadn't got where you are today and holding on so credibly without having brains, eyes in the back of your head and fine-tuned business acumen. She's your natural successor dad, so give her some rein and really take her under your wing."

"But you son, you are my successor."

"No dad, I agree with you: I'm only a bean-counter."

"We'll have to talk about this son. I still can't get over that clever little bitch working out I'd figure out this crass deception of hers. She should be working high up in corporate business."

"She says she's more comfortable here. She tried corporate business during semesters and found a common lack of integrity."

"So she thought family business and found you?"

For a moment Cass looked stunned. Then he smiled: "It's a thought dad but relies too much on coincidence. I'm sure we met totally by chance. Anyway, the die is cast and I'm not going to chance it. She said you'll accept the concept and make practically no changes to the strategic plan and our new business plan."

"Did she now."

"Yes and wants cash from reserves to establish a fund to offer voluntary retirements to selected personnel. She says retirements, voluntary terminations, natural attrition and an almost nil hiring policy will have us at the desirable staffing numbers within eighteen months to two years."

"Does she now."

"Kerri believes your daughters will accept her becoming managing director under her plan to restructure the company by creating proportional stockholding between you, mom and your three children. The stockholders when receiving their dividend each six month will then decide the amount of Kerri's half-yearly performance bonus, if any."

"What, she doesn't want a slice of the company?"

"No dad, she says she is an outsider on equal footing with your two sons-in-law."

"I see. Very impressive."

Cass yawned and said, "Come on dad, it's almost 2 o'clock, well beyond your bedtime. Mom will help Kerri find a wedding dress tomorrow. Any questions?"

THE END