The CEO Versus the Husband

A huge thank you to Randi. Not just for the wonderful editing, but also the advice and guidance.

*****

"Lori glanced at John with a sad expression. "It is your choice, John. There are so many advantages if you resign. If you push me and I have to fire you, all of the benefits Joanne just outlined to you will be off the table."

John glared back at his wife of twelve years. "As if I have any bloody choice. You'll have my letter of resignation tomorrow."

"No need, I have already written it. All it requires is your signature."

John stared at the two women, Joanne standing beside his wife who was seated behind the huge walnut desk. Joanne looked grim and uncomfortable. Lori, although seated, looked as if she was about to cry.

He snatched the letter from her outstretched hand. He read it quickly. All it said was he was resigning to seek out future alternatives. He signed it quickly and handed it back.

Lori nodded her acknowledgement.

"Thank you, John. If you follow Joanne, she will take you down to payroll." She handed him an envelope. "There are contact details for an employment agency we have contracted to help you in your search for a new position. There are also some names of people I have already contacted on your behalf. They are eagerly awaiting your call."

She stood and stretched out her hand to shake his.

He snarled bitterly. "Not a chance in hell. See you at home."

He turned and walked out the door, trying to maintain his dignity, or what was left of it.

Joanne scurried out after him, pulling the door closed behind her. Lori slumped back in her chair, and did indeed have to wipe away a small tear.

"Why did it have to come to this?"

She recalled the many conversations she had with John over the preceding six months.

Once Theo, the projects department head, came to her and asked if he could close the door, she knew it wasn't going to be good news. "Lori, I need to talk about John."

"Yes, is something wrong?"

He nodded. "Very much so, I am afraid. His performance has been woefully inadequate recently. His projects are late, over budget and always accompanied by a string of client complaints. I know he is your husband, but I need to issue him a verbal warning. I've asked Joanne, the HR manager, to sit in. I'm only telling you this because I thought it might be better if you give him a heads up. He might take it better if he doesn't feel like he has been blindsided."

Lori's head fell forward and her eyes couldn't mask her surprise. "But John has always been our strongest project manager. His projects never go over budget, never."

"Historically, I would agree, however. I've included the details of his last three projects. All late, all over budget and worst of all, there are email threads from clients a mile long complaining about his attitude."

"Give me a chance to go over this. I will talk to him at home tonight. See if there's a problem."

"Thanks, Lori, I appreciate it. I am sorry, but the formal verbal warning is happening regardless."

She again nodded, accepting that it was inevitable. If what Theo said was true, John deserved it.

That night, she got home early. John had picked up the children from school and they were all sitting at the table. She put the bags of groceries down on the kitchen bench and walked over to where they all sat. She kissed the children and exchanged greetings. She held John's embrace, and kissed him lustfully.

"Wow, that was nice. You should come home early more often." As she stood, she inspected his face for signs of mockery, but he seemed sincere.

"I am sorry, my love. Work has been all consuming recently."

"That's putting it mildly," he muttered, this time unable to hide his irritation.

"I did say I was sorry, and we talked about the constraints my new position was going to place on our marriage."

He nodded, she was truthful. They had talked about it, in fact they had talked it to death. In the end, they both realised the opportunity was far to great to pass up. At the time, he thought he could deal with it, but recently, he had his doubts. Lori often didn't get home until after nine o'clock, and even when she was home, she worked on her blasted laptop.

She smiled warmly, trying to deflect the antagonism that seemed to have crept into the conversation. "I'll get dinner underway."

He sat helping the children with their homework.

The dinner was excellent. The children held the conversation. The table was full of their chatter about school, upcoming events and sports and friends. John and Lori could relax and bathe in their own thoughts as the children animated the occasion.

It was after they had shuffled off to bed, that Lori asked, "Can we have a quick chat about work?"

He looked at her with curiosity. "Yeah, we certainly can."

"John, Theo came into my office today and he outlined some concerns over your recent performance."

John growled loudly, "What did you just say?"

"You heard me. What's more, he supplied me with the documentation from your last three projects. They all came in late and over budget."

"Oh, good lord. You know how difficult times are at the moment. Vendors are putting up prices, clients want everything done for nothing. It's hard."

"Yes, I understand that. Perhaps better than most. I took the opportunity to compare your projects with some of the other managers. Yours were the only ones to come in late."

"Yeah, well, mine are a little more complex than most."

"That is true. You were our best project manager. This looks like a trend. Is there something wrong sweetie? Is something troubling you?"

"No, god damn it. There's nothing going on."

She frowned as she replied. "There's something else, John. Far more troubling to me. Your last three projects... they are also swathed in complaints from clients. All of them targeting your attitude. Two of them have requested that you not be assigned to any future work."

"Fuck them," he snarled in response. "Lori, maybe you should get out of your office a bit more. Take a look at what's going on in the real world. Clients expect more than they ever have, and they want it for nothing. Fucking assholes."

Lori stared at John. In the whole time she had known him, she had never heard him talk like that.

"Does this have something to do with my position?"

"I suppose it's not helping. Jesus, Lori. You're never home before six, usually it's later than that. I pick up the kids from school. I help them with their school work. I cook dinner, and I usually do all the bloody cleaning. So yeah, to answer your question. Your new job has had an effect."

She hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry, sweetie, I know it is hard. Once we get some of the things settled down at work, I will be able to get home at more regular hours."

"Well, what say we start now? No more ten o'clock finishes. I'll accept eight, but fuck knows why you have to be there till ten at night."

She lost a little of her consoling mood. "John, we talked about this before I accepted the position. As CEO, I'm expected to take clients to dinner, to schmooze them. It's part of the job. We also have branches in other countries. Time zones do take some getting used to."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Tell Theo to suck it up."

"It's gone too far for that. He will be sitting down with you and Joanne, the HR manager, tomorrow. He is going to give you a formal verbal warning, and it will go on your record."

He stood quickly, throwing off her arms. "Thanks very much, boss. I think I'm going to bed."

"John, please don't get mad at me. I simply did not want you to feel like you had been bushwhacked tomorrow. Think about those projects overnight. Have your defence sorted before you sit down with them."

"The guy's a dick, Lori. You might not know it, but he's hopeless. Talk to some of the other project leads."

When Lori got to bed, she found all the lights out and John as far as was humanly possible on his side of the bed. She sighed and didn't try to get close to him.

Over the next week, Lori spoke with all the project managers and touched base with many of the aggrieved clients. The underlying problem seemed to be with with John. None of the other team leads or clients had issues with Theo.

All it did was make her nervous. John seemed to have a deep seated issue, but regardless of how hard Lori tried, she couldn't get him to open up or talk.

To make matters worse, his most recent project was late, over budget and stalled. The client was threatening litigation if they couldn't finish on time.

Theo, informed Lori that he was pulling John from the project and replacing him. Lori sucked in a deep breath. "Yes, I agree. I have made the client a guarantee we will have systems back up and running the day after tomorrow, at the latest. If we can complete this, we will escape litigation."

"We can do it, Lori. Charles will take over from John, and I will keep a close eye on the project."

"Have you spoken to John?" Lori asked.

"Yes, he knows what's happening. I have started writing up a formal letter. I refuse to be spoken to the way he does."

"Oh god, what did he say?"

"He called me a useless asshole." He stared unwavering at Lori. "He has said other things, as well, but it's what he's been saying to the other employees. He has been stirring up a hornets' nest. It's not just me, either. You need to understand. He's been bad-mouthing management to anyone who will listen."

"I'll talk to him again," Lori said reassuringly.

"I am trying, Lori. I'll be honest, if he wasn't your husband, he'd be gone already."

"Thank you, Theo, I do appreciate your help. I don't know what has come over him recently. He never used to be this way."

"If you ask me, it is all about you. He has had a frigging chip on his shoulder ever since you took over your new role. By the way, you are doing a great job. I wasn't having a go at you."

"Thank you, Theo. I have tried to talk to him."

"Between you and me, Lori. He might be better off working for another firm. Some guys would find it difficult working under their wife."

"I understand, Theo. Like I said, I will talk to him."

When Lori arrived home, she found the house as quiet as a mausoleum. John sat with a mass of empty beer bottles stacked in front of him in the living room. "Where are the children?" she asked nervously.

"In their rooms. They were bugging the shit out of me, so I sent them to their rooms."

After pouring a glass of wine, she went to sit with him. "Theo came to see me today."

"Yeah, he friggin told me. Thanks for sticking up for me... Not."

"For gods sake, John, what was I going to say? You have created a nightmare with that project. The clients are angry, they were threatening litigation. Charles has been put in charge to try and bring it in within the new agreed deadline."

"Oh yeah. He'll come riding in to save the day. I've already done all the hard work. I was going to have it finished by then anyway."

"No, you weren't. I saw the spreadsheet you gave Theo. You were projecting the end of the week as completion date."

"I was just being cautious."

"John, don't lie to me," she said calmly. "I spoke to Harvey, and Mike. They told me that you said the end of the week."

He sighed, shaking his head. "So you don't believe me, huh... Had to go behind my fucking back and talk to my team."

"They are my team, as well, John. We are all on the same blasted team. I saw your projections. I talked to the client directly and he was furious because you told them the end of the week. Jesus, John. It's costing them over a hundred grand every day they are out of service."

"Yeah, big deal. That's their problem."

"No it's not, and you damn well know it. We could be held liable. You know that, you were part of the team when we signed the damn thing."

"Jesus, get of my case, Lori. It was a difficult project. There were a lot of unknowns."

"Why were there? Tell me that, John," she complained. "You were the project lead. If there were issues, why weren't they highlighted during due diligence?"

"We missed them; it was a simple oversight."

"Yeah, an oversight that might have cost us three hundred thousand dollars. Luckily, I spoke to Harold, their CEO, and if we can get it back on line, then they aren't going to chase us."

He looked guilty and embarrassed. That was something at least. "What is going on, John? It's almost like you're doing it on purpose, trying to derail me personally. Is that it, you want me to look bad?"

"Don't be ridiculous," he growled

"Then talk to me, at least give me something," Lori exclaimed.

"Things are tight. I fucked up, okay? I'll talk to Theo. See if I can calm him down."

"It is too late, John. Don't you see, he has already drawn up the formal written reprimand. He will be issuing you with it tomorrow. That will be your final warning. You do realise what that means, I hope."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it."

It was with a cold scathing glare that he stormed off: one of those, if looks could kill moments. John and Lori had always promised themselves they would never go to bed mad. It seemed every night, now, they were mad. Lori tried to stay calm and focused, but when she walked into the bedroom, it was in darkness. That would be the fortieth night in a row with no lovemaking.

The house continued to function, but it was cold, icicles dripped from the walls it was so icy.

John may have been failing at work, but he was going great as a father. He came home early every night, helped the kids, cooked dinner. Took the kids to sports, acted like their personal chauffeur.

Lori tried, as well, it just seemed that the business needed her right at that moment. She made up for it over the weekends, though. She attended the children's sports games, took them shopping, to the ice cream parlour. She tried.

"That's it, Lori. John has to go. I've had enough."

Exasperated, Lori stood up, and walked to peer out the window. "What happened, Theo?"

"I caught him bad mouthing the firm to a bunch of employees. He called me a whole bunch of names; it wasn't just me though. Nobody in management was spared his forked tongue. Including you. That's when I called him out."

"What did he say?" she asked, grimacing.

"I'm not going into specifics; let's just say it was derogatory. I refuse to work with him. I might add, it's not just me. All of the other project leads feel the same way."

"Theo, John saved your ass on several occasions I can think of."

"I agree, and believe me, we carried his ass for the last quarter. If it wasn't for the fact he helped us all so much. We would have kicked his lazy ass out months ago."

"Is it that bad?"

"Sorry, he has to go. I've listed all his transgressions. Complaints from clients, fellow colleagues. The list goes on, Lori."

"Okay, Theo. Than you for keeping me in the loop, she said as she hugged him. "Leave it with me. I will handle his dismissal."

"Thanks, Lori. I appreciate that immensely."

So that was it. Lori tried to get a grip on herself. She had just fired her husband. She went back over everything. Could she have done more? Should she have done better?

*****

Joanne walked back into her office. "Wow, he looked terrible, Lori."

"Yes, defeated doesn't really sum it up, does it?"

"Don't blame yourself, Lori," Joanne said comfortingly. "We followed the rule book. He had plenty of opportunity to fix it. He didn't seem to care. I sat in on his first official complaint. He seemed completely disconnected."

"Perhaps it will work out. I have given him some good leads." Lori sighed. "Hopefully he will follow them up."

At home that night, John refused to even acknowledge her presence. He and the kids were already eating dinner when she walked in. "Wow, smells divine. I hope there's enough for me?"

"Yours is in the microwave, Mom," Andrew said loudly.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she said as she moved into the kitchen to get hers.

"How was school today, Andrew... Diane?"

They conversation went back and forth, although John stayed unusually silent.

After dinner, the kids realising the tension wasn't going to dissipate, went off to bed early.

"John, can we talk please? I'm sorry it ended that way, but perhaps it's for the best."

He turned to her with pure hatred in his eyes. "Fuck you, Lori. I went to see a lawyer who specialises in workplace law. He thinks I've got a great case for wrongful dismissal. I think I'm taking you down."

"Don't be preposterous, John. You have no case. It sounds to me that you have received some very poor advice. The only winner there will be your lawyer. If he thinks you have a case, he's a shyster."

"You're scared, I can see it in your eyes, Lori."

"What you are seeing is sadness, John. I had hoped you might follow up some of the leads I gave you. I have talked to them, they are genuinely interested."

"Oh yeah, that's what you say now. You're trying to cover your ass. Well, fuck you, Lori."

It took less than a week. His lawyer served the firm with the suit. It was laughable, really. All his claims were ridiculous.

Lori, of course had to face the board, but when she and the legal team briefed the board, they were convinced Lori had made the right choice.

It didn't help her home life, though. John was in a world of his own, wonderful with the kids, but refused to even acknowledge Lori.

It lasted two weeks, but the day before the court case, John cornered Lori, as she was about to leave for work "If you reinstate me. I will stop the action."

"John, I love you. I hope you understand that. I have tried to be civil, but this is the first conversation we have had in weeks. I'm afraid that you no longer feel that way about me," she said, the tears starting to seep.

"Just give me my god damned job back. Jesus, Lori. Would it be so bad?"

"John, my love, nobody wants you back. I gave your lawyer all the affidavits from your colleagues. They don't want you back. Theo said if I took you back, he would leave."

"Good, he's the friggin problem. Get rid of that asshole and you might get some projects completed on time."

"John, every project since you left has come in ahead of schedule, and under budget. Clients are happy, the office has started to function. Whether you will admit it or not, you were the cancer that pervaded that team."

"Fucking lies. It's all going to come out today, Lori. Christ, you're going to get cut to shreds."

"John, I'm begging you. Don't go through with it. Every cent you give to that idiot shyster you employed is going down the drain. You will bankrupt us."

"It's not bankrupting anybody. The company can afford a million."

"I wasn't talking about the company. I was talking about us. Our legal team is convinced we could, and still might, counter sue for a frivolous lawsuit. If they choose to do that, you, and that means us, will be liable for all legal expenses."

The case went the way we expected. John had no case. His lawyer was a complete waste of oxygen. Lori watched John's face as every angle he tried fell.

Lori waited outside the courtroom, she knew it was going to be bad. He appeared looking defeated, his face drawn and pallid. She moved towards him, her arms open. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"Don't talk to me, Lori," he snarled. "I don't know how you managed to pay off the judge, but more power to you. Money talks, I guess."

"You are being ridiculous. I have taken the rest of the day off. I thought it might be a chance for us to go somewhere nice for lunch. Somewhere we could talk in private."

"Forget it. I'm not interested." He walked away, leaving Lori in his wake. She had to meet with the board for a debrief. Not that there was much to discuss. It had gone as expected.

Lori arrived home early. The house seemed calm, the children were happily playing computer games in the family room. There were some of the neighbours kids with them. "Hey Mom," they called out when she popped her head in to see how they were going.