Now that Gemma had more or less been persuaded into taking on the job, Jake was happy enough keeping the whole business of Gemma coming to work for him, on an informal basis. As far as he was concerned, she was a friend doing him a big favour. "I really don't want you think of me as your employer, it would be weird" he admitted with a concerned frown.
But Gemma had other ideas, and she refused to work under such terms. "Yes, it will be a bit strange in that aspect, I agree. But really its better if I sign up a contract and we do this properly, so then neither of us misunderstand each other when it comes to legal terms and my obligations." she pointed out. "It's really better all around, if we do this properly, then no one can claim we are taking advantage of our friendship" she then reasoned.
"I suppose so," Jake reluctantly agreed, still not overly keen, but seeing a Gemma's point on the matter, "You don't know how much I appreciate you doing this for me, despite what happened in the past. "I just hope I have the chance to make it up to you, and I can help you get your dream of jetting off to Australia."
Even as he said it, deep down, he hoped she might change her mind on that plan. He still felt bad now he had learned what had happened, He found himself thinking how unfair it had been on Gemma that she had spent her teenage years looking out for her mother and younger brother when their father left, then when Gemma's mother had found a new man and a new life she had just left her behind to fend for herself basically.
It also reminded him that he was no better.
He had been so caught up with his fame, and his crazy marriage to Caroline and dealing with her, he had also left Gemma behind losing contact with her. Even though there had been times over the last five years he had thought about her, but never seriously went out of his way to find her either, or to even find out what was going on in her life. So, it was the least he could do was to help her fulfil her dream, if that was what she really wanted. So, he offered her a very generous wage for her six-month contract and although she protested it was far too much, on this stance he refused to budge, and in the end, she had been forced to accept it.
It was a few weeks later, after talking with his Manager and his legal team, Jake had a six-month contract drawn up for Gemma to sign, included in the document was a strict confidentiality clause, which she happily agreed to sign, although Jake thought it was a bit much because he trusted Gemma one hundred percent, and he didn't want her thinking otherwise. But she assured him she didn't take it personally, and really preferred it this way to keep them all right.
Gemma did feel a bit guilty about abandoning her friends Brenda and Graham, especially when things were not looking so good for them with the day care nursery. But Brenda informed her she was relieved that Gemma had found work elsewhere, because she had been worried that she might be unable to give her a wage in the near future, the way things were going. So, it was a weight of her mind.
Whilst signing on the dotted line, and make her new job all official, Gemma found mostly dealing with Jake's manager Laurence, and his lawyer Kenneth Jackson, as well as Jake's personal assistant Maggie, who seemed intrigued by the fact that Gemma and Jake went way back, knowing each other from a fairly young age
"So, you have known Jake a long time?" Maggie enquired as sat across from her in Jake's small office after going over the latest documents and to inform Gemma the date when she could officially start working for Jake.
"Yes, I guess I have. We grew up in the same area, went to the same schools, only it was when we were in secondary school together, we officially became good friends in our teens" she then explained.
"Really? What happened? Did the old teenage hormones kick in, and you took a shine to each other?" Maggie asked teasingly, making Gemma laugh
"Well no, it wasn't exactly like that," she admitted. "Actually, there was this other guy, Mark, who was showing an interest in me. Only I wasn't too keen on him. But he kept pestering me to go out with him, and then because I kept refusing, he got a bit peed about it. One day outside the school gates, he was with a few of his friends and he started on me, being really horrible taunting me about my father walking out on us," Gemma informed her, and paused for a moment looking a little perplexed,
YOU ARE READING
The Little Stranger
General FictionSuccessful musician and rockstar, Jake Kavanagh was enjoying his success and looking forward to releasing his new album, But then his world is turned upside down by the news of his estranged wife's death, and that he is now a father to a four mon...
