The Unbroken

XIII

At around eight this morning, only an hour or so out of Turndon, I pulled into a quaint B'n'B for us to crash at. Oliver has already been sleeping for about five or six hours by then but thought he may as well get the last few in a bed. I only need a couple of hours to function. I'll rest properly before we head home, it'll be easier for me to get the stressful part out of the way first.

As I'm typing out an email, Ollie begins twitching moodily beside me. The growling of his stomach must have finally gotten too much for him to withstand in the depths of dream land. I've been awake for at least an hour, most of that time has been spent going through messages for an array of reasons. I've mainly been dealing with company complaints that HR didn't know who to send to. My parent's lawyer will also receive an email later on, though he knows about technology as much as a dying fish.

The main building has already been informed of their passing, turning the work space into chaos over the next steps before I've had a chance to deal with it. At least seventy percent have contacted me in some way with their concerns and sympathy, which I am not overly thankful for but that doesn't mean I'm not polite. Everyone who worked there was previously informed of the actions to follow a situation such as this, but all the logic they ever possessed has vanished from their brains with the dramatics of unnecessary panic.

"Zoo?" The sweet baby mutters. His eyes barely flicker open before they snap back from the sun's intrusion. "Morning, Sleepy." He glances at the clock for a brief moment only to slump under the covers. "Did you even sleep?" Dragging the duvet with him, he crawls over enough to rest his cheek on my thigh. "I got enough to survive. Woke up but couldn't fall back under, so I've been productive to fill time." I let one hand fall to play with his hair. "Doing what?"

"The company has gone to Hell in two hours. When they didn't arrive this morning, shit hit the fan and panic took over. I sent an email out when I woke up to inform them of the situation, but a sort of strike has occurred which I am now dealing with in another email." I pause to rub my stinging eye from looking at a screen for an hour straight. "Some are threatening to quit if they don't get paid, other's are arguing about who's now in charge. Sheila tried to remind them of the previous plan, and that I was given twenty-four hours to make an announcement of my decision." My voice grows rough, exasperated by the idiots running the strike. "Some doofus had the audacity to say that I am incapable of managing the place due to age and lack of experience. His suggestion was getting another company to take over."

"What did you do?" His pitch raises, drawing back a little. "I told him to sit his arse down and get back to work or he will find himself unemployed, and that the same goes for anyone else who has a problem with me. I am not going to be spoken down to by a drunk forty year old man that can't even spell the company's name. I confirmed my taking of control with the first email I sent, so he needs to take a step back." The tired chuckle makes the corners of my lips twitch upwards.

"I worry for anyone who tries that again." My head bounces to his conclusion, "I don't take crap from adults who underestimate me because of my age."

"I know, I've seen the result of it many times." He shuffles around, cracking his back. "Anyway, I'm going to shower before we go anywhere."

"Good idea, you stink. Food is on until two so we have time to eat, and we're expected at the morgue by one." I get up first, dragging him with me. While he sulks about wanting to sleep more, I wander over to the bag slumping in the corner chair. "Here." I toss over some clean underwear and toiletries for him. "How do you have my boxers?"

"You and Rosie have a habit of leaving your things at mine. I've gotten into the habit of washing and storing them for when needed." I take out my own things before stripping down to my underwear. "Warn me next time!" Cheeks rosing, he stumbles into the bathroom with his eyes shut. "Ollie, you've definitely seen it all before. Have you forgotten how many times we bathed together as kids?"