The Ascendant

Chapter Thirty-One

I got home just as Dawn and Greek were finishing their suppers; walked through to the kitchen where they were still gossiping and checked my cupboard for something to eat.

‘Working late again sunshine?’ asked Dawn.

‘Yup. It’s a bit of a nightmare but what can you do?’

‘What can you do? You’ve got that right, mate.’

‘You could always go back to college, like me,’ said Greek.

‘If only,’ I replied.

‘Yeah, some of us aspire to work for a living, you know.’

Greek poked her tongue out at Dawn as she left her plate in the sink.

‘I’ll wash up later,’ she said, ‘but in the meantime I’ve got some work to do.’

Dawn pulled a face at Greek, which Greek also mimicked, but as ever it was all in good spirits. ‘See you later,’ said Dawn as Greek headed for the stairs.

‘There’s some spag-bol in the pot if you fancy it.’

‘Would you mind?’ I really didn’t fancy any more tinned food, and needed some energy before I buried my nose back in my notes.

‘Not at all, help yourself. You’ll have to cook your own spagetti though.’

‘Hardships,’ I said, shaking my head.

‘I know, it’s shocking. So are they finally getting some value for money out of you at that office of yours?’

‘I wouldn’t go that far but they’re certainly giving it a go.’

‘Is it all making more sense to you now?’

‘Not really. I understand the concept and I know what I’m supposed to achieve but I’m not sure how I’m going to achieve it. They’ve got me following this whiz-kid round but he’s so bloody fast and sharp … I really don’t know, it’s just like second nature to him.’

‘Hmmm, so you’re struggling a bit. Would it help if you talked it through? Maybe I could offer an outside opinion.’

I was desperate, and any offer of help had to be welcomed. I spilled my heart out, telling Dawn everything that had happened, apart from how I lied my way into the job in the first place of course.

‘So, let me get this straight: you manage a bunch of contractors who report to you and this Hobbs chap, right?’

‘Right?’

‘And Hobbs wants them to report directly to you, taking him out of that part of the equation, right?’

‘Right.’

‘And he also wants you to do the same thing for the clients which involves a whole bunch of stats, analysis, forecasts, that type of thing.’

‘Right.’

‘So-o-o-o, what you need to do is prove to him that you can actually do this stuff.’

‘Right. That’s the tricky part. I’m sure I can do it but I don’t think he’s going to give me enough time to learn the finer points properly.’

‘You need to bring things forward now.’

‘Right.’

‘Otherwise you’re fucked.’

‘You got it.’

‘OK. What we need is a plan, in which Ben becomes the great redeemer and saves Hobbs and his splintering empire. Have you got any of these stats with you?’

‘Sure.’

 ‘Well, as my dentist is fond of saying, let’s take a look. Oh, and I’m going to need my glasses, and a strong cup of coffee, black with two.’ I ensured Dawn was furnished with all of these things within three minutes, and within an hour we, or rather she, had devised a plan.