The company contacted Thomas the following afternoon.
Doug wanted a meeting.
He suggested that I attend with my attorney.
Thomas agreed.
I wasn't surprised.
The old agreement was no longer something Doug could dismiss as a misunderstanding at a Christmas party.
There were records now.
There were signatures.
And there were questions about the company's ownership history.
The meeting was arranged for Monday morning.
Jeremy asked whether he should come.
I told him he could, but I didn't want him feeling obligated.
He decided to attend.
We arrived at Lanning Fabrication shortly before ten.
I hadn't been inside the building for many years.
The entrance had changed.
There was a new reception desk and a glass wall displaying photographs of the company's products.
But the smell was familiar.
Oil.
Metal.
Machinery.
A little dust.
The same sounds came from the factory floor.
A receptionist led us to a conference room.
Doug was already there.
Frank sat beside him.
A company attorney named Mr. Collins was also present.
Doug stood when we entered.
"Mrs. Margaret."
"Mr. Lanning."
He nodded toward Jeremy.
"Jeremy."
My son returned the greeting.
Nobody smiled.
Thomas placed his briefcase on the table.
We all sat.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Doug looked at me.
"How much of the company do you believe you're entitled to?"
That was his first question.
Not whether Jeremy was doing all right.
Not whether I had been offended.
Not even whether he had misunderstood the agreement.
Money.
Ownership.
That was where his mind went.
Thomas answered before I could.
"We are not here to make unsupported demands. We are here to establish the legal meaning of the original agreement."
Mr. Collins nodded.
"That's reasonable."
Doug leaned back.
"My father never told me about any ownership arrangement."
I looked at him.
"Your father wrote it down."
He looked uncomfortable.
Thomas opened his briefcase.
"We've reviewed the original financing records and several later corporate documents."
He placed copies on the table.
"The agreement refers to an ownership interest that was to be preserved when the business met certain conditions."
Doug looked at the documents.
Mr. Collins examined them carefully.
"Have you located the incorporation records?" he asked.
"Some of them," Thomas replied. "We're still waiting for the complete historical file."
Doug rubbed his forehead.
"This is going to be expensive."
I looked at him.
"Your father didn't seem worried about that when he asked me to help him."
He looked up sharply.
I continued.
"He was worried about losing the chance to build something."
Doug said nothing.
Thomas moved the discussion back to the paperwork.
He explained that no one was asking the company to recognize a specific percentage without examining the complete corporate history.
The agreement needed to be interpreted.
The later ownership transfers needed to be examined.
And the parties needed to establish whether the promised interest had been properly preserved.
Mr. Collins agreed.
Then Doug turned toward Jeremy.
"About the Christmas party…"
Jeremy looked at him.
Doug paused.
"I shouldn't have handled things that way."
My son waited.
Doug continued.
"The decision was made in poor judgment."
Jeremy's expression remained calm.
"You fired me in front of everyone."
"I know."
"You made it sound like I wasn't a grown man because I brought my mother."
Doug looked down.
"I was trying to be funny."
Jeremy shook his head.
"It wasn't funny."
Nobody interrupted.
Then Doug said something I hadn't expected.
"I'd like you to return to work."
Jeremy stared at him.
"Return?"
"Yes. We can reinstate your position."
My son looked toward Frank.
Frank nodded.
"Your employment record is clean. There is no documented performance reason to dismiss you."
Jeremy looked back at Doug.
"What about what happened?"
Doug took a breath.
"I can issue an apology."
I watched my son.
He wasn't smiling.
He wasn't celebrating.
He had wanted that job to be a place where his work mattered.
Now the owner was offering it back because a legal document had brought attention to the company.
I understood why he hesitated.
"Can I think about it?" Jeremy asked.
Doug nodded.
"Of course."
Thomas gathered the papers.
Before we left, I looked at Doug.
"There is something I want you to understand."
He waited.
"My involvement in your father's business should never have been necessary for you to treat my son fairly."
Doug lowered his eyes.
I stood.
The meeting was over.
But the question of what Ray had promised was still waiting for an answer.
Click here to continue reading: PART 15: My Son Was Offered His Old Job Back, but the Written Apology Revealed How Little Doug Understood About What He Had Done
My Son Asked Me to Attend His Christmas Party Because He Couldn’t Bear Another Holiday Sitting Alone
Part 14 of 20
