Thirteen Letters. Chapter Nineteen.

“Life was good, so many exciting things had happened. The fifth-year contract had come and gone and soon we were approaching the tenth year, there were seven months to go, Maxine hadn’t mentioned anything, so I asked her, “When are we going to renew our tenth year together?” Maxine replied, “I was going to call a meeting with everyone, in your Team, my Team and your Staff, next month, but as you have mentioned it, I will call all of us to a meeting in seven days.”

“As with all our meetings, food and soft drinks was involved, a beer or lager was available for those who wanted one. The setting was beautiful, in a cosy private function room. No one knew what Maxine was going to talk about, she had kept that a closely guarded secret. We all enjoyed our meals, and it was lovely to see us all together at the same time. After we had all eaten then coffee or tea was served. Then all eyes were on Maxine.”

“Thank you all for coming today, its lovely to see you all.” She went on, “Paul asked me a few days ago about signing another five-year contract, I had planned on having this meeting next month, but as he asked then, I have moved everything forward to today.”

“On the tenth year, all of our contracts, that will be our last day, as we know it.” There was an audible gasp. Some were heard to say in a low whisper, “Oh no,” I said, to Maxine, “What do you mean, are we finishing?” She answered, “Yes, originally it was only supposed to be five years, but everything worked out SO well, I carried on into a second five-year contract.”

“Maxine could see my face was sad, and many others too, and she said, “I have done everything I set out to do, that was in my heart and mind.” Looking at us all, one by one in the eyes, she continued, “I have made all of you very successful and myself, before we all worked as three Teams and Paul and Lisa, we ALL struggled with money worries, today we are all millionaires.”

“There are some, who has worked behind the scenes, and some who were with me in the public eye, I, one hundred percent, believe in finishing on Top! Paul is a world-renowned successful singer, known around the globe.” Looking at me, she said, “We have had a good innings together, there is no one who would have accepted and done every quirky thing that I asked, you did it lad, you did it perfectly.” Then looking at lovely Lisa, she said, “The three of us made a great team.” And still while looking at Lisa, Maxine added, “I knew you would be perfect for Paul, you are so carefree, strong, clever, the whole package.” Lovely Lisa, mouthed back with a smile, “Thank you.”

“Some were now crying quietly, Maxine reassured them, “We have seven more months to go, then you will all be free to do other things, we all have dreams, that before we couldn’t do when we, the majority worked together for £8.50 an hour, you have seven months to prepare, and go and be your own Boss.”

“None of you, don’t need to work for anyone else, you can employ you own staff, pursue your own life. Today is not a sad day, it is just the next Chapter. My aim is for all of you to be happy and rich, I have achieved that, do you agree?” Some spirits, seemed to have been lifted, Maxine has a fantastic way of doing that, and there were murmurs of, “Yes.”

Kevin asked, “So there is no chance of a third contract?” Maxine replied, “No, let us all finish strong. We have all given one hundred and ten percent.” I said, to Maxine, “I might need counselling, as I will miss all this, you as my manager, my timetable, the comradery…..” With a smile, Maxine responded with, “For anyone including you Paul, that would like counselling, independently that will be given, and no one here will know, who has counselling.”

I didn’t feel reassured.

“Time went on, it seemed far too quickly, and with a month to go before the end, I was a mess, I had refused the counselling, I knew what I wanted and what I didn’t want! I didn’t want all THIS to end. Yes, it had been a good innings as Maxine put it, but why couldn’t it continue? I got a bid down, and was often tearful.”

“Maxine, called another meeting, with two weeks to go, and this is what she said, “For those who want to, you can share with us what you will be doing when we close up business on the thirteenth.” It was Fabolous the wide varied projects that each and everyone was going to do, no two were the same, it’s a big world. Some were going to still work a few hours a week with Paul, Lisa and the twins, others were going to open their own specialist shops with workshops in the back, doing basket weaving, batik, jewellery craft, leather clothes, hairdressing, film producer and one of my personal favourites; tie and dye shop!”

Maxine announced after everyone had said, what was in their hearts, (for there were lots of praise for Maxine, she had done a good job and their lives and lots of charities had been helped too.) “For a long time, the TV crews has wanted to film Paul and me, so I have arranged on the last day for us to go to Malta on a private beach there, we will all fly out the day before and on the final day that will be a perfect ending to all of this.”

I asked, “Can I ask one thing?” Maxine replied, “Yes, anything you like.” Without hesitation I said, “What I would really love the most, is for three hours, me and you, facing out to sea, two meters apart, sitting on our beach towels, just me and you talking, as I have never been able to talk with you alone in ten years. Then with the camera crews, fifty yards behind us without sound, they can film us and they will be happy and behind them, twenty yards away, all the three Teams.”

That sounded like a great idea.

“It was a very happy day, the food was delicious, me and Maxine had fish n chips, she had Fanta orange not diet, I had an ice-cold Stella. She had her favourite ice cream, rum and raisins, I had mint. And we chatted and laughed, with no interruptions. It was a perfect ending to a perfect partnership.

After three hours, as agreed, the camera crews zoomed away from us and stopped filming and left us all to our last and final day together.”

The End.

Story written by,

Maxine Jasmin-Green. 15.09.22A.D. xXx