Called Back On Probation
"Oh dear, what did I just do?" Mr Dickson thought.
The news was circulating on social media platforms but Mr Dickson had not paid much attention to it aside from looking at the attached image which was Jason's. Hearing Peter talk about his previous job and resigning to continue working with Jason triggered a memory recollection. He recalled his encounter with a man, Mr Johan Haward. He had spoken highly of a son called Jason. He remembered Mr Johan Haward showing him a picture of a boy whom he said would manage his business in the future. To Mr Haward, Jason was a preferred choice.
"Jason must be really special to be in the good books of Mr Johan Haward, because this man was hard to please," Mr Dickson thought. "If that is the case, Jason will be a great addition to my team," he said out loud.
"Oh dear, I have to get him back," he said, and immediately exited his office.
Mr Dickson stepped out of the building just in time to see an unfamiliar car drive out of his company's compound. That had to be the man who had just left his office, Peter. With no plan of how to find Jason and calls to his phone not going through, he decided to follow Peter.
Peter had just joined the main road after driving out of Groupo Estate Agency. He was in a dilemma. He had dropped Jason at the company at exactly 8 a.m. If Jason left the company less than 20 minutes after he left, it could only mean he either went home or went to search for a new job. Knowing Jason, he already knew it was the latter.
It was past 6 p.m. now, driving slowly on the street, Peter contemplated calling Julia. After considerable thought, he kicked against the idea. She would only worry. He just went online and searched for companies with open vacancies.
"Jason could be visiting any of them," Peter said, and stepped on the accelerator heading for the first company on the list, unaware he was being followed.
Meanwhile, back in the apartment, Julia had finished preparing supper. She set up the table knowing Peter and Jason would be arriving soon. She had spent the entire day at home with little to nothing to do. To while away time, she just sketched some building plans.
Jason, on the other hand, was still in the park where the driver had dropped him, still sitting on the bench. He was so lost in his thoughts that it didn't occur to him, it was late until the street's lights were turned on. He checked his time and remembered Peter was supposed to pick him up at 5 p.m.
"Peter by now would have found out about his employment," Jason thought.
Jason fetched his phone from his pocket to call Peter and realized his battery had died. He only had one option and that was to go home. Nobody will know where he is currently. He stopped a cab and gave the driver an address once seated and the car drove towards the given destination. Jason arrived home and greeted Julia. She was surprised he didn't come with Peter.
"Is Peter still working?" Julia inquired after responding to his greeting.
"I will have to call him," Jason replied calmly, and quickly went to the room.
Julia followed him and found him plugging his phone to charge.
"Kindly give me your phone," Jason requested, and Julia gave it to him but wondered if everything was alright.
Jason dialled Peter's number and brought the phone to his ears.
Peter was a couple of minutes away from his first destination when he heard his phone ringing. He checked the caller ID and it was Julia. He immediately knew she was calling because it was getting late, and they were not home.
"I am sure she had already called Jason and didn't get through to him," Peter thought, finding a place to park the car.
He rolled up his window and answered the call.
"Hello Mrs Haward," answered Peter.
'Mrs. Haward' thought Jason before responding, "Hello Peter, it's me,"
Peter sat up straight in the car, and he noticed a car also parking behind him from the rear-view mirror. He realized he had seen the car a couple of times, meaning he was being followed.
"Hello Peter, are you there?" called out Jason.
"Yes, boss. I am here," replied Peter after being distracted by the car which just parked behind him.
"Apologies I didn't call you. I am home now. I had to leave earlier," Jason said.
"Thank God, I am coming home now," replied Peter, who understood Jason didn't want Julia to know anything.
The call ended and Peter looked at the car behind him as he started the car. From the rear-view mirror, he saw someone getting down from the car and began to walk towards his car. He recognized the person as the man he had spoken with at Groupo.
"What does he want now?" Peter thought, rolling his eyes.
A gentle knock on Peter's car window made him roll down his window.
"Hello Peter, did I get the name right," asked Mr Dickson, lowering his head to see Peter behind the wheel of his car.
"Yes, what do you want?" replied Peter, going straight to the point.
"I just want to say, I thought about what you said to me and I realize you were right. I didn't try to find the truth. I just judged him based on what I heard. Please help me deliver a message to Mr Haward. Tell him, he can start work tomorrow," said Mr Dickson. "That agency would love to work with him," he added.
"What makes you think he would want to come back after how you treated him?" asked Peter.
"Because I am willing to double what I initially offered him," replied Mr Dickson, who was now more than ever desperate to have Jason in his company.
"Okay, I will deliver your message to him when I see him," replied Peter, giving him low assurance.
Mr Dickson thanked him and went to sit in his car and drove off trying to think of a way to convince his team to accept Jason.
Peter also turned around at the next U-turn and headed for home. He was relieved to know Jason was already at home. He parked the car and also entered the apartment upon arrival.
"I am sorry," Peter apologized after greeting them. "Stupid me, sat in the car for hours before going inside to inquire about you, boss," he said, understanding Jason didn't want Julia to know what had happened from the phone call.
Peter quickly took a shower and joined Julia and Jason at the table.
"So how was your first day at your new work?" asked Julia.
"It was amazing. Aside from a few annoying passengers I encountered, it was fun," replied Peter with a smile.
Jason remains quiet as he eats his food. They both turned their gaze to him. He looked at Julia and then Peter and lowered his head to continue eating.
"It was okay. I visited a park," Jason replied, and ate his food.
Peter understood Jason had spent the day in a park while Julia, on the other hand, thought Jason went to do an area survey.
"So how did your day go?" Peter inquired.
"Well, it was normal, I just cleaned and sketched some building designers," replied Julia.
Peter and Julia continued to chat while eating, dragging Jason into the conversation sporadically.
After supper, Julia and Peter cleared the table, and they all went to bed after watching TV to rest for the next day. Peter had not had the chance to deliver Mr Dickson's message to Jason because of Julia. He decided to do so the next day. If Jason didn't want Julia to know exactly what happened today, he was sure he would not stay home the next day. With that in mind, he went to bed.
In Jason's room, he held Julia in his arms while she slept, but he could not do the same. He was thinking of what to do when the sun started coming up.
In the morning, at 6 a.m., just like the day before, Jason got ready and then left the house with Peter after breakfast. Once out of the house, Peter informed him of Mr Dickson's offer of a comeback, and he dropped Jason at Groupo Estate Agency.
Before Jason arrived, Mr Dickson called for an emergency meeting with his SMT (Senior Management Team). This group was made up of heads from various divisions in the company.
"I have called for this urgent meeting because you will be seeing a man at this company starting today. I know you may all have your thoughts about him, but I employ you all to give him a chance. Irrespective of what you have heard, I have another piece of information which tells me he is the missing piece we need to skyrocket our business," Mr Dickson said, addressing the people.
"I am talking about the man, Mr Jason Haward," he added, and there was some murmuring among the managers and one person spoke.
'Mr Dickson, are we talking about the same Mr Jason Haward from the news? The one with the fraud case?" asked the finance department head.
"Has any of the news mentioned the police searching for him?" asked Mr Dickson, making the managers look at each other.
"Good, it tells me the media information is questionable, but it doesn't mean he is not capable, but that is not the point," Mr Dickson added. "I am employing his service with his experience and the business he has managed assures me that with him on our team, we can expand our business. However, with the news going around, I called him back on probation. You will all be my eyes as we closely monitor him," he said.
"Does that sound okay?" Mr Dickson inquired, and they didn't have any objection except for the operation manager, Harry Lawson, who had always wanted that position of deputy CEO, but with everyone accepting, he just accepted too.
Jason was back to the company, and he was sent to Mr Dickson's office again.
"Hello Mr Haward," Mr Dickson said, once Jason entered. "Welcome back," he added with a smile, and offered Jason a handshake, which Jason accepted.