Chapter 18
Jake shut the door to the apartment, deciding he’d rather wait outside for Derrick to arrive at nine. When Jake turned around, Derrick was already there, waiting by the lift, a look of expectation etched on his tired features. Somebody else has had a sleepless night , thought Jake. Derrick’s eyes roved to Jake’s bag. He walked over and reached down for it.
‘Not just yet.’ Jake said. ‘Come here.’
Derrick gingerly stepped forward.
‘I want you to take this.’ Jake handed Derrick the plastic key card. ‘Let me show you how this works. Just slip it in there, like so.’ Jake watched Derrick. ‘That’s right – straight down until the little light flashes red to green, see it?’
Derrick nodded.
Jake opened the door to the apartment and walked in.
Derrick stayed where he was, looking down at Jake’s bag, obviously wondering what he’d forgotten to pack.
‘Come inside, Derrick. I’ve got something to show you.’ Jake led the way.
Derrick, hesitant at first, stepped inside as instructed. Jake took Derrick on a tour of the apartment.
Derrick followed Jake in stunned silence; stunned because every Ross employee in the building wanted to know what it was like up there in Ross Heaven . It was what they called the apartments on the top two floors. Derrick – to his utter amazement – was the only employee, apart from the staff of the contracted cleaning company, to see it for himself. Not only that, but he was being shown around by Mr Campbell-Ross himself.
Partway through the tour, when Derrick had stopped to linger in one of the stupendously extravagant marble bathrooms. He wondered if the taps were gold-plated. Then he wondered if the rumours about Jake Campbell-Ross were true; maybe he was having some kind of breakdown. What other reason would there be for leaving all this to teach in an inner-city school like the one Derrick had attended himself? Not to mention what he was doing now – showing a porter around his apartment.
However, Derrick could see that Mr Campbell-Ross knew exactly what he was doing; he was showing him what he had a chance to achieve through hard work and dedication. He’d read about Mr Campbell-Ross. He’d been through his share of hard times as a child, losing both his parents, but he’d fallen on his feet; he’d been taken under the wing of William Ross. However, Derrick also knew that William Ross did not believe in nepotism. Neither Jake nor Marcus would have made it to these two much-coveted apartments on this floor, just below the CEO’s, if they hadn’t worked incredibly hard to make it. One day, this is going to be mine , thought Derrick.
Suddenly aware that he had lingered too long, Derrick called out, ‘Mr Campbell-Ross?’ and quickly left the bathroom. He found himself in a L-shaped corridor, with Mr Campbell-Ross nowhere to be found. Tentatively, Derrick opened doors. ‘Mr Campbell-Ross?’ he called into rooms he had not yet seen. There was a library that was like something out of a movie, with three walls stacked floor-to-ceiling with books, and a games room with a full-size snooker table, which made him think of his brother’s fold-down toy snooker table, which he’d got for Christmas the previous year. It made him wish his brothers were there too. They’d never believe him when he went home after work and told them what he’d seen.
Derrick failed to find Mr Campbell-Ross behind yet another door, but he did find a second sitting room with a humungous plasma television screen on the wall. Derrick whistled before closing the door.
‘Mr Campbell-Ross?’ Derrick said to the empty corridor. There were still other doors he had not yet opened, other rooms to explore, but perhaps the tour was over, and Mr Campbell-Ross wanted to leave now. With that thought in mind, Derrick raced to the front door of the apartment, praying he had not made a huge mistake and outstayed his welcome.
Mr Campbell-Ross was standing in the lift, his bag on the floor by his feet.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
Derrick shut the apartment door with a single thought twisting up his insides – he’d blown it. A porter didn’t keep one of the directors of the Ross Corporation waiting, even if that director had taken a sabbatical after losing his wife. He’d be back, of that Derrick had no doubt. He cast one last glance back at the apartment. How could he not when he’d be returning to that?
Derrick joined Mr Campbell-Ross in the lift and held out his hand to give him back the plastic key card, praying he was not going to lose his job for outstaying his welcome. He didn’t really believe that would happen. If there was one thing he’d learnt while working for the Rosses, it was that despite their immense wealth, they were the kindest, most decent, most loyal people he’d met – besides his own mum. He sincerely hoped he’d be working for them for years and years to come.
Jake did not make an immediate move to take the card.
This is bad , thought Derrick. This is really bad . He’d thought the Rosses were nice, compassionate people. Derrick stared at Jake. He didn’t want to beg, but he’d have to. I can’t lose this job, I just can’t. The rent on his mum’s tiny two-bed flat, in which he shared one of the bedrooms with his brothers, was now extortionate. But they couldn’t afford to move somewhere else; they could barely afford where they were. If he lost his job …
Jake could tell by the look on his face that Derrick thought he was in trouble. He wasn’t. Jake had started showing Derrick around the apartment, and suddenly it had all become too much; an overpowering sense of grief, of loss, had engulfed Jake. He’d had to get out of there – fast. So, he had walked out of the apartment, leaving Derrick to have a look around for himself.
Derrick made another attempt to hand Jake the plastic key card, but Jake resolutely kept his arms folded. ‘I want you to keep it.’
Derrick looked at the card, not expecting to get to keep a souvenir of his tour. Maybe he wasn’t in as much trouble as he thought.
‘Did you like the apartment?’ said Jake, pressing the button to close the lift door because Derrick was too preoccupied with the card in his hand.
Derrick had never heard such a stupid question in his life, but of course he wasn’t going to say anything of the kind to Mr Campbell-Ross. ‘It was … it was …’ Derrick was having a problem putting it exactly into words.
Jake understood. He pressed the G button, and the lift started down. ‘Well, I’m glad you like it – it’s yours.’
Derrick looked down at the card in his hand. He had been right all along. By showing him the apartment, Mr Campbell- Ross had been showing him exactly what was possible for Derrick to achieve if he worked his socks off for the Ross Corporation.
‘Thank you, Mr Campbell-Ross. I’m going to work very hard and someday I just know I’m going to use this card for real.’
‘Not someday, Derrick,’ said Jake, watching the floors countdown. ‘Today – it’s yours today.’
It took a few seconds for Derrick to grasp what Mr Campbell-Ross had just said. When he did, he gaped at Jake and said, ‘You’re shitting me.’
‘I shit you not,’ said Jake, amused by Derrick’s choice of words.
Derrick shook his head.
‘You don’t want it?’ Jake said, surprised.
Derrick sighed heavily. ‘Look, I am so sorry about your wife, I really am. I get it, I do.’ His gaze drifted to Jake’s hands, wondering what had happened to them. Whatever had gone down, the only conclusion Derrick could draw was that Mr Campbell-Ross was having a breakdown.
Jake followed his gaze, and looked at his bandaged hands. ‘I’m not having some sort of crisis, or breakdown, if that’s what you’re thinking, Derrick.’
Derrick looked anywhere but at Jake.
‘The apartment is yours, Derrick. I spoke with a lawyer I know in the company. It’s my apartment.’
Derrick didn’t understand. ‘But I thought you have to rise through the ranks of the company, and that’s how you move up the floors until you get here, and then …’ he raised his eyes, thinking about Mr William Ross’s apartment on the very top floor. Rumour had it that he’d never lived there, might not have even stepped foot in the place. That didn’t surprise Derrick. He had a beautiful house in London.
‘That is very true, Derrick.’ Jake had been very pleased the previous night to realise that because William had not accepted his resignation, and effectively he still had his position; he had the power to change just what he needed in order to give his future successor, and his family, a very big break right now. And why not? William had taken him in when he’d needed it. Jake was doing the same for this boy. Of course, he wouldn’t be treating him as family, but in effect the Ross Corporation was. This was his home now. This was exactly where he belonged.
‘I contacted the person responsible in the company and put the lease in your name. The only caveat for you to remain here is that you continue working for the company, and work your way up to take over my position someday.’ Jake put a hand on his shoulder. ‘I know you can do it. William knows too. That’s why I spoke with him last night, and he agreed to my unusual request.’ Jake could tell by the resignation in William’s voice that he had finally realised that Jake wasn’t coming back.
‘I know you don’t need this apartment to motivate you to work your way up. You have your family for that. But why can’t you have some of those future rewards right now, for you and your family?’ Jake continued, ‘I know this is most unusual. I apologise for springing it on you like this, but I’m going on holiday today, so I had to arrange it all while I was here.’ Jake smiled. ‘So, what do you say?’
Derrick didn’t say anything. He looked as though he was about to pass out. He didn’t. Instead, he began to cry.
It wasn’t quite the reaction Jake had expected. But on the other hand, maybe it was to be expected. Jake had discovered, during his phone conversations with the lawyer the previous night, that Derrick had attended an interview for a junior position. Derrick didn’t know it yet – an official letter was winging its way by post to him, and he’d receive it any day now – but Jake had found out he’d floored the competition at interview. It meant that after just six months, Derrick would be hanging up his porter’s uniform and putting on a suit to start as a junior at the city offices of the company.
It would mean a huge change for Derrick in many ways, not least because he would be stepping on to the first rung of the executive ladder. And it was going to have an impact on Derrick’s living arrangements.
In one month’s time, Derrick would be allocated one of the flats on the ground floor, consisting of a single room with fold-down bed, kitchenette and lounge area, all in one cramped space. They were designed for the juniors such as himself who were single.
It would take several years, and several promotions, for Derrick to work up to a higher floor with a reasonable-sized apartment that could accommodate Derrick and his family. Jake had an idea that Derrick was acutely aware that if he was successful an interview, he would be offered starter accommodation in the building. But Derrick would not be looking forward to leaving his family behind.
Jake knew that it was more than likely that in one month’s time Derrick would not take up the allocated flat. It wouldn’t bother the company; it was his choice. But for Derrick, the work, the studying at night school, the commute from East London, even his safety – walking in and out of his estate wearing a suit – would not bode well for his future. He also guessed that, despite all that, Derrick was about to do the unthinkable.
‘I can’t accept this,’ Derrick said suddenly, thrusting the card back at Jake.
Jake understood. Derrick had his pride. Pride in what he had achieved so far, pride in the fact that he was working hard to provide a good future for himself and his family. Like his mother, Derrick would not accept handouts. ‘I don’t deserve it. What will people think?’
Jake had anticipated this reaction. ‘People will think: what has Mr Campbell-Ross seen in Derrick that is so special? ’
Derrick stared long and hard at Mr Campbell-Ross.
‘Prove me right, Derrick. Think of it as a new kind of incentive scheme; now you’ve got it – you want to keep it?’
Derrick looked at the card, looked at Jake, and then thrust the key card in his pocket. He looked Jake in the eye. ‘You bet I do,’ he said with a self-assurance way beyond his years.
Jake smiled. ‘I’ll be watching with interest to see how long it takes you to make the move upstairs,’ said Jake referring to that very top apartment and the position as the head of the Ross Corporation. He wasn’t joking.
Jake was well aware that he could have arranged another apartment on a lower floor. It wouldn’t be as spacious, but Derrick’s family would have managed well enough. At any one time, there were always several vacant apartments as people moved to postings abroad and others returned. Some employees, for personal reasons, did not want to live in the building at all.
Jake knew of one such person, of one such apartment, and he most definitely thought it might be taking it a bit too far to give Derrick that one. William’s apartment, the massive sprawling apartment on the very top floor, had been vacant since the building was built. Grace had wanted to remain living in her London home. He’d heard that she’d told William, an apartment is far too vulgar, darling.
William, who had never spent a single night of his marriage apart from his wife, had had little choice but to accept that they would not be moving in. William had hoped that in time she would change her mind, but she never had. That left Marcus, who was currently the de-facto head of the corporation.
Jake knew that Marcus could move upstairs, but that wasn’t going to happen either. William would not allow it in the current circumstances; not with the rumours swirling around about Marcus and his late-night escapades – rumours that Jake imagined the family, and the company, were hoping they could keep quiet. A company was built on its reputation. As a stock-market listed company, confidence and market sentiment – good or bad – could send share values soaring or plummeting. With William apparently still at the helm, that confidence was still steadfast. If Marcus were to move into the top position and the top floor, there was no telling where things might lead – and everyone on the board knew it.
Jake had no doubt that the apartment on the fiftieth floor would remain empty for many more years to come; perhaps until William and Marcus had both stepped down, and a new successor had been found.
Jake eyed Derrick. It was unthinkable today, the Ross Corporation not being run by a family member, but over time, things would change. Over time, it was possible that the Ross Corporation would go the way of other monolithic companies, where not a single descendant of the original founder worked in the business.
The lift door opened in the foyer on the ground floor.
Before leaving the lift, Jake watched Derrick wiping his eyes dry with his sleeve. If Derrick’s two brothers were so inclined, perhaps in the future the three brothers would be occupying those three apartments on the top two floors. Jake smiled at the thought.