t he couldn’t stop thoughts of Adele from sneaking in every moment he wasn’t busy.
This morning he’d sat in on a meeting with the office staff and he’d been duly impressed with their positive, proactive attitude and teamwork to get things up and running as quickly and smoothly as possible. They were dealing with new contracts and site construction while still working out the kinks of setting up a new office. It had been exciting, actually. More than he’d expected. Back in Toronto, he’d seen all this information on paper and in columns of black and red. Seeing it in motion was a totally different thing.
He should just enjoy it while he was here, and then head back on Thursday. He had a new nephew to see, after all.
The thought cheered him more than anything else had all week. It was difficult to get excited about going home when it felt like there was very little there waiting for him.
Steve, the branch manager, stepped into Dan’s temporary office and shut the door. “Hey, I wanted to get your thoughts on something.”
“Sure. Fire away.” Dan was happy to have another distraction. Eventually he wouldn’t need them, right? It would just take time.
Steve sat and Dan thought he looked a little nervous, the way he was perched on his chair instead of relaxing against the back. He wasn’t smiling, either. Dan put down his pen. “What’s up, Steve? You don’t look happy.”
“I know you’re not in HR or anything, but I need some advice. Or just a sounding board... I don’t know. The thing is, the office is just getting off the ground, and...”
Dan leaned forward. “Just spell it out.” He smiled a little. “It can’t be that bad.” Were there staffing issues? Supplier or jobsite complications?
“My wife’s had an opportunity come her way and I want her to take it. It’s unlikely another chance like this will come again, especially at our age. It seems like anything over fifty and suddenly you’re seen as having a short shelf life.”
Dan nodded. “Instead of realizing that your years of experience bring a depth to the management table. I understand.”
Steve nodded. “I know you’re young, but I’m glad you get it. The thing is, the job’s in London.”
Dan sat back. “England?”
Steve nodded. “At a hospital there. The kids are mostly grown, and...” Steve grinned at this point, his eyes lighting up. “Seriously, it feels like a new beginning for us. Exciting and we’re nowhere near as broke as we were when we were newlyweds with secondhand furniture and twenty bucks left on payday.”
Dan nodded. “So...you’d go to London with her.”
Steve nodded. “Yeah. Not until March, so it’s not like it’s next week or anything, but yeah. That would be the plan. But I don’t want to screw over the company, either. I’ve put in a lot of years and I care about what happens. It’s a crucial time, and managing the office here...well, I did and still do appreciate the confidence the company’s placed in me.”
Dan looked at the older man, hair graying at his temples, but his blue eyes alight with the idea of a new adventure. There was no question in Dan’s mind what he should do. “Of course you should go. You wouldn’t want her to miss out on this, and I’m guessing that you don’t want to do this apart, either.”
“She’s worked hard and supported me all this time. It’s her turn, you know? And being apart...well, we’ve been together for twenty-five years. That’s just a nonstarter.” He smiled. “We’d be miserable. It’s a sacrifice I’m happy to make. It’s just hard because I feel as if you placed your trust in me and I’m bailing.”
“You’re not bailing. You’re choosing a life over a job. No one doubts your dedication—you know that. We’ll work it out.”
Steve rose from his chair and held out his hand. “You know, one of the things I’ve always loved about this company is that the people seem to come first. I’m going to miss that.”
Dan shook his hand with a firm grip. “Talk to HR and put in your resignation, and I’ll have a word with Brian, too.” The CEO would likely have someone in mind to take over, anyway. “It’ll all work out. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks. I’m heading out for the day, but I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah. I have another day before jetting back to the real world.”
“Too bad. It’s been nice having you around. Your ideas in the meeting this morning were great.”
“Hey, I’m more than just a pretty face. Or a bean counter,” Dan quipped. “Take it easy, Steve.”
“You too. And thanks for the ear.”
After Steve was gone, Dan sat back in his chair and thought about what had just happened. Steve had risen through the ranks of the company after he’d left his job in aviation and had gone to work as a service tech for wind turbines. He’d earned this position from years of dedication and initiative. But he was willing to put it all to the side to support his wife in a new opportunity. Some would call him foolish, but Dan respected him even more than he had before.
His thoughts turned to Adele. Did they have this sort of relationship? Could they have? Was he willing to sacrifice his dream for hers?
He picked up his pen and started doodling again, just a series of squiggles on the yellow pad. He thought back to when she’d broken up with him. She’d left so he could follow his dream of a great career and big family. She’d been the one to sacrifice, even if it had been utterly misguided. And while he was still angry that she’d taken the choice away from him—surely that wasn’t a sign of a great relationship—he now understood that she’d sacrificed her own happiness for what she thought would be his. As she’d said once: wrong thing for the right reasons.
She’d sacrificed once...so why should he demand she do so again?