Meyer-Hofmann AG

4

The Jarvis home was an end terrace in Guiseley and typical for the area. Only five miles from Leeds City Centre, it was perfect for Lisa’s commute. The old Yorkshire stone buildings had blackened over time, but the sooty walls gave the houses character, which only added to their charm. The couple had been enchanted from the first moment they saw it. Since purchasing the house five years earlier, they had totally renovated the property. Lisa fancied herself as an interior designer, and there was not a wallpaper manufacturer she did not know, or a DIY centre she had not visited. The house was on its second round of refurbishing after the Laura Ashley phase had quickly lost its shine; she was now looking for a more “shabby chic” look. Whatever that meant, Michael let her get on with it; the house always looked good, so he had long decided not to complain. He made the right sounds at the right times, showed interest in all her ideas, and accompanied her around the endless furniture stores. The only room in which she had no say was his study, which resembled a University Library. The main wall had been converted into a bookcase, holding a mixture of textbooks, autobiographies, and modern fiction. A large red, deep pile rug filled the centre of the room, with two light brown leather studded chairs and his desk in the bay window. A new iMac sat proudly on top of the desk, next to the mandatory iPad and iPhone. He had tried to resist the temptations of Steve Jobs’s company for years, believing him to have sold his soul for profit, but in the end, he had bowed to the practicality. Now he found himself being drawn to the same flame of financial security and personal wealth as Jobs, a warmth he had already decided he could get used to.

As the study door opened and Lisa entered, he lifted his head and smiled warmly at the open space, ready to greet her. But from the expression on her face, it was clear that something was wrong. Lisa was the light of his life and a happy soul; her example had done much to help him fight his personal demons. She was the first person he had ever completely trusted, and she had never let him down. With Lisa, he could be himself, no acting required. Since their marriage, he had found it easier interacting with the world around him. With her, he had learnt to take chances and live with life’s ups and downs. He could honestly say he was happy, and life was good. Looking at her standing in the open door, he feared that could all be in jeopardy.

“Whatever is the matter?”

She tried a smile.

“Hi, darling. Oh, I had a terrible day. The company wants me to move.”

His expression changed to one of concern.

“What? Where do they want you to go, for heaven’s sake?”

“Germany.”

He frowned at that and picked up his job offer.

“Where in Germany?” he asked, his voice distrusting.

“Munich.”

With that, he leant back in his chair and shook his head.

“No, they wouldn’t. Why do they want you to go to Germany?”

“They want me to work for some big company there. Meyer-Hofmann.”

He held the letter up for her to take. “It’s a small world. This might explain it.”

Lisa looked down at Michael quizzically before deciding to take the letter from his hand and read it.

What was he talking about? It took her a while to digest the implications of what she was reading.

“It’s a stitch-up,” she said finally, handing the letter back to him.

“You’re damn right, and if they think I’m working for them after this, they can take a long walk!”

Lisa slumped into the chair opposite the desk and stared back at her husband, before bursting into laughter.

“They must be bloody serious about getting you! A quarter of a million pounds a year, as a basic salary? Not to mention them manipulating PricewaterhouseCoopers into moving me to Munich. You have to talk to these people, Michael; they are serious. You could probably ask for more money.”

Lisa felt her mood lighten. She had been desperately worried that she had done something wrong at work and that they wanted to get rid of her. It now appeared that everyone has a price, including her employer. Michael’s expression softened as he saw his wife relax.

“It came this morning,” he said, gesturing to the letter. “I’ve spent the whole day wondering what to do. Are you sure you are okay with this?”

“I’m a bit pissed off that my boss didn’t put up more of a fight for me, but fuck them. If you are on a quarter of a million, I don’t have to work!”

She smiled and winked at him, her hair catching the sun’s light through the window, making his heart skip.

How did I get so lucky? he asked himself, admiring his wife. She is prepared to change her job for me, after all her hard work. One thing is certain: I could not be more in love with this woman.