Chapter 39

Megan had observed Nick during Managers'. He was cheerful and alert as ever but, after Sally voicing her worries, Megan watched him more closely. He fiddled with his pen. His smile was less immediate. He was taut, something she had never seen before. Sally was right. He was tired.

She caught Melanie's eye at the end of the meeting.

"What's on your mind Megan?"

"The boss. Sally drew my attention to it. He's tired, over-tired. She's trying to enlist Mr Hackforth's support to get him to take a break because she knows he'll shrug off anything she says, talking about their honeymoon in January."

"Good for her! I thought myself that he wasn't quite his usual self this morning." She smiled. "Go on, Megan. What do you want me to do?"

"Lean on him if Mr Hackforth doesn't succeed."

"When?"

"Could I let you know?"

"Of course, Megan. You're the key in this operation."

"Thanks."

Melanie smiled. "I suppose we're just about old enough but we really are like a couple of old mothers, aren't we?"

Megan chuckled. "Yes, to an extent, and if it wasn't for my David..."

Melanie laughed. "Great minds think alike."

"But Sally's got him at long last."

Melanie nodded. "Oh Megan, I'm so thankful. We watched them dancing around each other and in the end it happened and blow Owain Glyndwr even though he helped."

Megan nodded smilingly and happily.

"Let me know if and when I'm needed," said Melanie.

Norman drifted in that afternoon. "I thought I'd take a chance on him being free," he said to Megan.

"Help yourself, Mr Hackforth," she smiled.

Norman went in to Nick. "Knee deep in reorganising Marshall UK?" he asked.

Nick smiled. "Yes," he said, "It's coming albeit a bit slowly. A labour of love possibly."

"Why's it a labour? You seemed to know exactly where it was going a week or ten days ago."

"I don't know. I thought it was too but somehow I'm not thinking as clearly as I was."

"I'll give you one guess why."

Nick looked puzzled.

"Nick, you're my boss but I also like to think you're a friend."

"You are indeed, Norman."

"You're shattered, Nick. No don't argue. You are. You've picked Liverpool up from the depths and transformed it. Yes?"

"Well..."

"Don't be silly, Nick. You have and we're all grateful and proud of you. Why do you think you were asked to a director? Because Head Office recognised you as a leader and innovator."

Nick shrugged deprecatingly.

"So you've got to go on being one and this paper you're writing shows you are but you're finding it difficult whereas a few weeks ago you were fired with enthusiasm for it. So what's gone wrong?"

Nick shrugged again.

"You've run out of steam, Nick. You haven't taken a proper break since you arrived here and you had the additional burden of Sally's mother."

"That wasn't a problem."

Norman looked at him sternly and Nick had to look down.

"You fell in love and got married."

"What's that got to do with it?"

Norman smiled. "Oh, I know. Love makes everything in the garden wonderful but, while your emotions may run high and make so many things easy, it also drains you a bit. Nick you've had a hell of a year plus. You've picked this place up by the scruff of its neck and set it on its feet. You've married with all the emotion that that involves. You deserve to be whacked and you deserve to take a break."

"OK but Sally and I are going to have a belated honeymoon in January."

"I'm aware of that and it doesn't stop you taking a break now."

"I've got this paper to write."

"Yes, Nick, but does it really need to be there for the next Board Meeting?"

"I suppose not but I've mentioned it to the Chairman and the Chief Executive so I really feel I ought to get on with it."

"The next Board Meeting's in a fortnight's time. However hard you try the paper's only going to be there three or four days before the meeting: much too short."

"I suppose."

"Right! So sit back a bit. If you want to work on it this week I'll be happy to help you but what I suggest is that you visit sites and deal with what lands in your in-tray this week and then the two of you bugger off next week and to hell with it!"

"Did Sally put you up to this?"

Norman sucked his lips and looked down.

"Little minx!"

"I thought she was a tiger."

Nick laughed. "No," he said. "Occasionally but she's just a little pussycat really."

Norman smiled. "I've said my piece and revealed my source of intelligence so I'd better shove off before I get into trouble, real trouble."

"No, Norman, you'd be pushed to do that. Thanks."

Norman went back through Megan's office. He winked at her. She smiled at him.

He stuck his head into Sally's office and held up crossed fingers. "I hope," he said.

Sally blew him a kiss.

Not many minutes later Nick walked into Sally's office and closed the door behind him.

"Little schemer," he said with a smile.

Sally smiled back. "But a concerned and loving little schemer."

"Why didn't you just talk to me about it yourself?"

"Because, my sweet man, you'd have fobbed me off and talked about the honeymoon in January and then, when I'd enlisted other people to have a go at you, you'd have said we were ganging up and dug your heels in."

Nick smiled ruefully. "You've got me sussed haven't you, Puss?"

"Yup!"

"So?"

"We're taking next week off. You're going to have lots of fresh air, rest and some gentle exercise."