“Jonathon, sit up straight. When you slouch like that you look like a twit.” Douglas Martin frowned at his twelve-year-old son.
Jonathon sat forward and tucked his hands in his lap, his eyes never leaving his cooling bisque. “Yes, sir.”
Eleanor signaled for the maid to refill her bowl. “Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on him, dear?”
“Mrs. Martin has had enough, Julie,” he said to the maid.
Julie nodded and returned the soup tureen to its warmer.
“But dear, I’m still hungry,” Eleanor said.
“I’m only looking out for your best interests,” he said. “I noticed you’ve put on a few pounds lately. You wouldn't want the other executives' wives to talk about you behind your back, now would you?”
Eleanor gave him a weak smile and pushed the empty bowl aside. "Of course not. Thank you."
Doug indicated his empty bowl and Julie hurried to his side with the soup. “The board meets tomorrow,” he told Eleanor, spooning hot bisque into his mouth. “We’re going to go ahead with the layoffs. Cutting twelve thousand resources will bring the stock price up to where it belongs.” He wiped his lips. “Henshaw Industries will finally be the premiere textile corporation in the world.”
“All those poor families,” Eleanor muttered.
“It’s the shareholders that matter, Ellie,” he snapped. “Those people we’re laying off, they’re just mill workers. They can find new jobs. There’s always work for the uneducated. Those fast food restaurants are always hiring.”
Jonathon sat forward and tucked his hands in his lap, his eyes never leaving his cooling bisque. “Yes, sir.”
Eleanor signaled for the maid to refill her bowl. “Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on him, dear?”
“Mrs. Martin has had enough, Julie,” he said to the maid.
Julie nodded and returned the soup tureen to its warmer.
“But dear, I’m still hungry,” Eleanor said.
“I’m only looking out for your best interests,” he said. “I noticed you’ve put on a few pounds lately. You wouldn't want the other executives' wives to talk about you behind your back, now would you?”
Eleanor gave him a weak smile and pushed the empty bowl aside. "Of course not. Thank you."
Doug indicated his empty bowl and Julie hurried to his side with the soup. “The board meets tomorrow,” he told Eleanor, spooning hot bisque into his mouth. “We’re going to go ahead with the layoffs. Cutting twelve thousand resources will bring the stock price up to where it belongs.” He wiped his lips. “Henshaw Industries will finally be the premiere textile corporation in the world.”
“All those poor families,” Eleanor muttered.
“It’s the shareholders that matter, Ellie,” he snapped. “Those people we’re laying off, they’re just mill workers. They can find new jobs. There’s always work for the uneducated. Those fast food restaurants are always hiring.”
