Chapter A Plan Forms
Daphne sipped on her coffee as she kept an eye on her emails, replying to one as she went back to her inbox. She pursed her lips and let out a deep breath before she picked up her phone and made a phone call.
It had been three weeks since they had submitted their lawsuit against the Mera Corporation. The legal team from the Mera Corporation had been informed of the lawsuit against them and had already started to fight back.
Daphne didn’t need to read the fine print; she had been in enough of these cases to know that the corporation was playing for time. They had the money and the capital—they could just keep on holding on, pushing it out further and further.
“Daphne?” Reggie answered his phone. He was currently off filing papers for another client.
“Reggie, let’s push the Mera Corporation a bit more. Shall we get those political figures involved?”
“Got it,” Reggie said.
Daphne cut the call. Reggie might seem really playful on the outside, but his contacts and work acumen when he got serious were the reasons that Daphne got along so well with him and the reason that she had wanted to work with him in their new firm.
***
James stood in his home in Oakville as he looked over the news broadcast.
“In today’s top story, chemical giant Mera Corporation was served with a class action lawsuit. The American-based company denies allegations that their plant in the Timmins region is affecting the local residents, polluting their air, soil, and water. They were not available for further comment. Today, we have learned that the case, that has already been on hold for weeks, might be placed on hold for weeks more as the corporation reviews new documents that they have found on the topic. The federal court has ordered the plant to be closed down as the case continues, putting some one hundred employees on leave. We will continue to follow this case and bring you the latest updates.”
James clicked the television off as he checked the time. “Hurry up, Julia, or you’ll be late for school.” James looked at his daughter, who was digging through her cereal.
She pouted and let out a huff. It was a Monday and all she wanted to do was watch TV, not go to boring school.
James smiled. There wasn’t much he could do. He patted her head. He knew the trouble it took to get her hair to stay up; he’d spent enough time doing it—he didn’t want to ruin it.
He got her bundled up and into the car before they headed to school. He dropped her off at the school and she ran off to meet her friends. Then he headed off, moving to the highway and his long drive into work.
He got a call from Dom.
“James, I’m adding you in on the call with Daphne and me,” Dom warned over the car’s speakers.
“All right,” James said, sensing that there was something serious going on for Dom to do so.
“Morning.” Daphne’s voice sounded odd.
“Morning,” James grunted out, trying to get his mind focused on business.
“I have just got information from the people you are supporting in this class action. It looks like the Mera Corporation wasn’t pushed by the government’s drive over the last couple of weeks. Now that we’re getting close to Christmas, they’ve put in for an extension and they got it. We won’t be able to do anything until the new year when everyone’s back to work,” Daphne said.
“I won’t be in for an hour, an hour and a half. Why don’t you two get together for the meeting and go over it? I trust Dom with everything on this,” James said.
“Gotcha. Just wanted to keep you in the loop. I’ll see you later,” Dom said.
“Later.” James closed the call on his end. Looks like things just got a bit harder. James looked at the slow-moving traffic all around him.
***
“Don’t worry—we expected them to do this,” Daphne said to Dom as they read over the information given to them by the court.
“They’re clearly looking to push us back and settle,” Dom said. “I had the people in the class action call me, telling me that the Mera Corporation told them that they would pay them twenty thousand dollars to drop the case.”
“We need to check if that was recorded, if it was official or if it was an unofficial source,” Daphne said. “If it’s official, then we can bring pressure on them. Otherwise, it’s not confirmed—it’s not connected to the corporation and they can deny it all the time, saying that we’re lying to the court.”
“I thought that they had to say the truth if they were questioned?” Dom asked.
“They are telling the truth if they hinted at this to some people that they knew. It’s not their fault they took it as a request. All miscommunication.” Daphne shrugged.
“Snakes,” Dom said.
Daphne nodded and looked up. She saw James walk in as he met with a group of people waiting outside his door.
His secretary was a bull terrier. A single whistle from her calmed everyone as she started organizing people based on those who were being too pushy.
James went into his office, accepting the first one who passed his secretary’s position.
Dom followed her eyes to James. “He works himself to the bone but he still takes the time to talk to people who are looking to take a step up, or they need help, like these people.” Dom waved to the documents on the meeting table.
Daphne looked over at him. He was so far away and she didn’t know what to say to him.
“So, what is our course of action?” Dom asked.
“We wait them out. I have it on good authority that there are certain people in government who want this to be dealt with quickly—to make some good headlines, if possible,” Daphne said.
“Wait, the justice system is actually working for once?” Dom looked shocked.
Daphne shook her head and smiled. “Yes, for once.”
***
Lucy shut the door behind her as James looked up from his computer. Lucy had been with him through thick and thin. She was a loyal supporter, something akin to Julia’s aunty, his receptionist and one of his closest confidants.
“What is it?” James could tell she wasn’t here for work reasons.
“That’s what” Lucy glanced over to where Daphne and Dom were talking and working. “We both know that you should be in there, but you got me to switch it around so Dom took it.”
James let out a sigh. “She’s Daphne.”
“Daphne Thomas, right.”
“No, she’s Daphne,” James emphasized.
“Ohhh.” Lucy looked over at Daphne now with new eyes. Her expression started to cloud over a bit. “I should give her a piece of my mind.”
“Calm it, Luc.”
“You pulled her in to be our lead on the case against the Mera Corporation? I don’t know if I’m the first person to say this, but if you screw a girl while on vacation and get feelings for her, almost have her meet Julia…it’s not the best idea to bring her on as staff!” Lucy said.
James sat back in his chair and waved his hand. “She’s got the qualifications. She’s the best one for the job. I can’t just let her go. Those people are hurting and I want to win this case for them.”
“Damn knight in shining armor, complete with the low IQ from being hit in the head too many times!” Lucy said. But the fire in her voice faded. “So, other than the work stuff, is there anything more?”
“I don’t know.” James sounded confused even to himself as his mind started thinking up possibilities and having hope.
“You haven’t talked to her yet?” Lucy asked, getting to the point.
“What am I going to say? ‘Hello, I really liked you at my cousin’s cabin. Would you like to get a drink and talk about how you ran away when I brought my daughter home?’” James asked.
Lucy just looked at James as he let out an annoyed noise.
“What’s your plan?” James sounded defeated.
“The gala,” Lucy said. “I’ll give her an invite, get her to go. Either you talk to her there and clear things or get some damn closure, James. I’ll force you otherwise.”
James didn’t say anything but he knew that it was a plan, better than the nonexistent one he had come up with.
“Now you say ‘thank you, Lucy,’” Lucy said.
“Thanks, Lucy.”
“Also, I’m taking Julia ice skating this weekend.” Lucy turned to leave.
“Thanks, Lucy.” James smiled as she left his office.