Chapter 83 A Random Idea

Noah's POV:

I don't know why I'm here. This meeting has nothing to do with me or my department. It's all about Lewis Artie and his stupid legal issues. I'm not sure why I need to be aware of any of it but apparently we all need to be in the know. Whatever that means.

"According to legal," Martin is telling us all, "our best bet is to offer a settlement."

"Has it even been proven yet?" someone asks but I scoff at the question. "Well, it's not an unreasonable question, is it Noah?"

"Usually, no. But we're talking about Lewis here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lewis retorts angrily.

"Only that it's not exactly like it's something you wouldn't do," I answer.

"I've never stolen anyone's ideas," he insists.

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that."

"You can't prove otherwise."

"Enough. I didn't call you all here for this," Mrs Clancy speaks up, clearly unimpressed. "I want you all put your teams at ease. There's no reason for them to be concerned."

"But wait, Mrs Clancy, just a few weeks ago, James was saying we didn't have enough money to fund replacement products," the head of marketing says, "how can we trust that there's money for a settlement?"

Mrs Clancy doesn't even blink.

"You have my word," she says and there seems to be a murmur of agreement amongst everyone that that is all they need. It's amazing how much everyone trusts Mrs Clancy. Everyone has so much respect for her. It's like nothing I've ever seen anywhere else.

"What about the investigation?" the head of design team three asks.

"It's still ongoing," Martin answers. The look on Mrs Clancy's face makes it pretty clear that she's not happy about it.

"Do we have a time frame?"

"We're in the process of interviewing the team. Once we've gathered the appropriate evidence, Human Resources will take the appropriate disciplinary action."

"So, no time frame then."

"Rather than worrying about how long it takes," Martin explains, "we feel it is more important to guarantee that the right people take responsibility for this breach of company policy."

"And the law," someone mutters angrily.

"Let's move this along," Mrs Clancy tells us. "There has to be some good news? Some new product you want to tell us about?"

"I'd be too scared to let Artie hear about it," someone else says under their breath, though not quietly enough for us all not to hear.

"Noah, what about you?" Mrs Clancy looks my way.

"Er... My team have all been working on their individual product ideas for the last few weeks. We're working on a spring theme."

"Isn't it a little early for that?" Lewis Artie scoffs. "It's not even Christmas."

"That's why your department are always so behind," the head of marketing says. "You don't think ahead."

Sighing, I try to distract them from arguing with Lewis. That's clearly what Mrs Clancy wants. She wants me to give her something exciting that will grab their attention but I haven't got anything. The products we're working on right now are amazing but they're nothing particularly new. They're the sort of things we always make, the sort of things all furniture companies make.

I try to think on my feet. Something special...

My mind immediately goes to Eden. That's where my mind always goes and this time, it gives me an idea.

"I'd like to make miniature doll's houses to commemorate the anniversary of your son's death," I say and the whole room goes quiet, arguments ceasing.

"Miniature doll's houses?" There's a sad smile on Mrs Clancy's face as she leans forward in her seat. "I still can't believe it's been ten years..." I'm not sure she's speaking to us or if she's thinking to herself.

There's silence as everyone waits for her to express her like or dislike of the idea. I'm barely breathing. I'm not even sure it's a good idea myself, I don't know why I'd ever suggest it. And if the looks on everyone else's faces is anything to go by, I'm not alone in my uncertainty.

"What do you all think?" Mrs Clancy asks.

No one rushes to answer, clearly unsure whether she likes the idea or not.

The head of marketing is the first to answer. "From a marketing perspective, it's a brilliant idea but really, it all depends on how you and your granddaughter feel about it. The doll's houses are highly personal after all."

"I like it," Mrs Clancy says, nodding her head. "Everything about this business is personal for me."

A few minutes later as everyone is making their way out of the office, Mrs Clancy calls me and the head of marketing back. She waits for the door to close behind the last of the people leaving before saying anything.

"What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room," she says sternly and I'm immediately put on my guard.

Is she about to tell me something that might help me and Eden uncover the truth about the company's accounts? Or is it about the legal case against team two?

"I really love your idea, Noah," she says, disappointing me slightly. "My granddaughter..."

I wasn't expecting her to start talking about Eden though and so my interest returns double fold.

"My granddaughter has recently been working on the seventh doll's house," she tells us causing the head of marketing to breathe in harshly.

"But it's been ten years..."

"I don't know what brought it on," she says, smiling widely at me, "but if she agrees, I'm hoping to do a line a limited edition replicas, like we did for the original six."

"It would be amazing if we could do that," Jenny from marketing gushes. You can practically see the ideas flitting through her brain.

"I think it would tie in nicely with your idea," Mrs Clancy continues.

"Will she have it finished in time?" I ask hesitantly. The last thing I want is to put pressure on Eden. "There's less than six weeks before..." I don't need to remind Mrs Clancy that there's less than six weeks before the anniversary of her son's death.

"I believe so," she says. "The house itself is complete."

She pulls out an envelope of photographs from a desk in her draw, passing them over to us.

I have to give it to Eden, the house is beautiful. Just as lovely as the one's she once did with her father, if not, perhaps even better.

"The furniture?" Jenny asks, looking over my shoulder.

"That's all that's left to be done," Mrs Clancy says. "She's a little nervous. Her dad did most of the carving when she was younger."

Biting the side of my mouth, I wonder if there's something I can do to help. Perhaps a carving lesson? It's not like it's a skill I myself possess but I might be able to find her a teacher. Except I'd need a pretty good excuse. Could I tell her it's a date? Or perhaps a training opportunity for the whole team? That seems slightly more likely.

Making my way back to the department a few moments later, I'm still thinking up ways to incorporate it into our work day so as to help Eden. She's not there, still at the factories with Stacey. It's frustrating because I actually managed to finish in time to take her to lunch.

Wandering around, I check out the work my team are doing.

I stop at Rob's desk. He's carving a miniature chair model.

"Rob, where did you learn to carve that well?" I ask.

"I used to go to the Clancy workshops when I was a kid," he says. "Mr Clancy used to do them every Wednesday after school before he..."

"I didn't know that," I reply, picking up the miniature chair.

"Yeah. Taught me everything I know, he did. It's why I wanted to work for Clancy's."