Francisco’s Intervention

Stanley rushed to the hospital after making several phone calls hopefully to see everything went well with the inspection. Tears flowed down his face at the thought of his beautiful wife in emergency care. He reached the hospital and cruised the parking lots looking for an opening and cursed as he had to do several circuits before finding a vacated spot. He sped to the hospital emergency wing and impatiently waited for the line to diminish. He gave Benita’s name and indicated he was her husband asking to be directed to her room. The busy receptionist glanced down the list of admissions and quickly glanced at him then stood and went into an inner office returning soon after with a doctor in charge of that shift. He motioned Stanley should accompany him to his office. Stanley felt a sudden stab of apprehension.

The doctor looked worn out as he indicated Stanley should sit. He looked over a chart placed on his table by the receptionist. Then he looked at Stanley studying him as doctors do to read Stanley’s capacity to handle the news he was about to deliver. He cleared this throat. How many times in the last week had he delivered this same news to an anxious relative.

“Mr. Gifford, I must give you some sad news. The paramedics did their best on the way to the hospital, but Mrs. Gifford was dead on arrival. We looked at every possibility of reviving her, but her injuries were just too severe to make that possible. I can say with conviction that had we been able to revive her body she’d never have been able to function as a whole person again and most probably would not have recognized you or your family needing constant support of her body functions, she’d not be able to control. I’m very sorry! It is never easy for me to deliver this kind of news to a loved one. I will need to have you come with me now to do a formal confirmation this is indeed your wife but there were enough details with her when she arrived at this hospital to confirm that. However, we must follow this regulation.”

He indicated Stanley should follow him and Stanley followed him mechanically. He was devoid of feelings as if he’d been anaesthetized but somehow forced himself to follow. They entered a dark refrigerated room with subdued light and proceeded to a bed covered with a sheet with written identification at the foot of the bed which the doctor read then removed the sheet above Benita’s face glancing at Stanley to read his reaction. Stanley wept and kissed his wife over and over until the doctor gently extracted him and covered the face again leading him by the arm back to reception when papers were thrust in front of him to sign.

The doctor looked at him sympathetically.

“I strongly caution you about driving immediately Mr. Gifford. A shock like this clouds a person’s reaction time so you should be aware of that. I can give you a sedative that will not impact your driving skills and you should check in with your own doctor to help you as you grieve. It will take a long time before you can fully cope with this loss and if you have any children then you need to see your grief does not add to the loss, they’ll be feeling for a long time too. Now if you’ll excuse me, we are snowed under with work, and I’ll have to ask for your understanding.”

Stanley went to the parking lot and taking the doctor’s advice drove carefully to his office. He’d wait until the inspection team had finished their work leaving it all to Gilma to fill in for him and only after they’d left would he break the news to family. Tears flowed as he covered the distance to the factory at a careful pace staying even more alert than usual.

Stanley sat in his office staring into space wondering how he’d break the news to family friends and levels of administration particularly those who came under Benita’s jurisdiction as one of the vice presidents. Then he remembered Benita’s family in California. They’d need to be informed. He looked at his watch. The inspectors must be finishing their work, so he decided to head for the new factory site.

He walked the block to the new site and saw Gilma in conversation with a man who he assumed headed the inspection team. Some would have been examining machinery, some compliance with building and safety requirements and the quality of building construction. They’d been there many times as the project developed but this was a final clearance. As he approached Gilma noticed him in her peripheral vision and turned to welcome him.

“Mission accomplished Mr. Gifford. A couple of minor observations which we will fix quickly, and someone will be back next week to check they were attended to. But they are prepared to sign off and go back to their office to report and have the necessary records attended to and we will receive the certificates by next week. They have agreed for us to begin the lengthy process of transferring departments one by one and should be running test production before going into full production department by department. The transition team has it all worked out so two months from now all departments will be in full production and we will have to ensure we stick to that timeline as our stored surplus manufactured products from the old factory will be running down by then and we’ll need to be back managing supply and demand as we did before. The transition team is on contract for another three months after that so we will have to review future staffing soon.”

They walked with the inspection team thanking them profusely as they waved them off in their government minivan.

Gilma turned to Stanley anxiously.

“How is my sister doing in hospital Stan? Can I go and see her now this assignment is over? I need to know her room number.

Stanley wept as Gilma looked on incredulously. Her boss was unflappable, and she’d never seen him like this before. Her lips began to tremble as she waited for him to compose himself. Must be bad injury then.

“Gilma Benita is dead. I don’t know how I’m going to get through this, and the company needs strong guidance to bring the new factory online. I’ve got to inform Benita’s parents now and then my mom. I’m going to need all the emotional support I can get for a while so I hope you can supply that need on behalf of the company despite your own grief. You and Benita were just like sisters so for her sake be brave. I’ll call a board meeting and recommend you as Benita’s replacement as a vice president replacing her as you know that job intimately but first will you accept that position if I put it to the board?”

Gilma wept silently for a few minutes and then composed herself.

“I’d be honored to take over in honor of my sister Benita.”

Stanley returned to his office and phoned his mother. She quickly answered her phone.

“How is our Benita son. I’m at home with the children now and have moved into the guest room so you can assure her I’m caring for them.”

“Mom, I have very distressing news. Benita died on the way to hospital. Her injuries were horrendous, and they were unable to save her. I don’t know how we are going to tell the children their mother is no more. My heart is breaking for them as well as myself.”

There was a long silence at the other end of the line, then his mother spoke calmly.

“I can’t believe this has happened. Benita was talking with me this morning about a visit to the mall where she Gilma and I were to have coffee together this evening. I suggest we leave it until tomorrow before we share this news with the children, and I’ll decide with the school and day care center for them to take a break for a couple of days. I’ll see they get a good night’s rest and explain their mother was unable to make it home tonight. They are used to being with me when Benita travels on business. Have you told Gilma? She’ll be devastated as they were like twins.”

“Yes. she knows mom. Now I must contact Benita’s family and let them know the sad news. I’ll see you as soon as I can inform all who need to be informed and see if I can get an emergency board meeting arranged for tomorrow to put someone in charge of Benita’s administrative duties. That needs to be done quickly with all the changes going on here commissioning the new factory.”

“Have you considered Gilma? She is more than qualified and knows everything about that department.”

“I’m recommending her mom.”

“OK, then I’ll let you get on with all the arrangements that need to be done and see you whenever you are able to make it home.”

The Lopez family were devastated when Stanley phoned to inform them of Benita’s death, and he promised to keep them informed as soon as funeral arrangements could be finalized. They informed Stanley he could expect a large family delegation at their daughter’s funeral and offered to help in any way Stanley felt necessary. They expressed interest in having her buried in the family plot in California, but Stanley diplomatically explained she should be laid to rest where he and the rest of the family would be able to visit the grave and that would be better in the Gifford family plots within their property here. He sensed this was going to a point of possible conflict as they planned the funeral by the response. So expressed his regrets and told them he’d have to phone board members to inform them of the sad news and consider Benita’s temporary replacement.

The next week Stanley operated in a mental fog but managed to keep the workload under control with the sympathetic assistance of the vice presidents who stepped in to shoulder the load of moving factory production to the new site while he planned the transition to a new factory. The children had taken the news hard, and Stanley’s mother was a rock for the family carefully managing her own grief to support her children and grandchildren. His sister Violet and brother Benjamin indicated they were coming home for the funeral.

Stanley’s childhood friend James Sedgman stepped in to see to all the arrangements for the funeral in consultation with the Gifford family and saw the Lopez family delegation was settled comfortably when they arrived the day before the funeral.

Representatives of customers and suppliers indicated they’d be there for the funeral so a larger venue had to be arranged at the last minute and James who was in the hospitality industry worked his magic to see that happened and cared for logistics seeing the celebration of life for Benita went smoothly which Stanley gratefully acknowledged when giving the final tribute to his wife and thanks to those who supported the family in their grief and those in attendance. The Lopez family were given appropriate recognition and reveled in the respect their daughter had so rightly earned in her chosen career.

After the ceremony was over Stanley arranged through James for the Gifford and Lopez families to share a meal together at the country club Giffords were a member of. At the end of the meal together Francisco Lopez asked to talk with Stanley privately and they retired to one of the vacant lounge rooms. Francisco spoke.

“Stanley with your respected father now at rest and you having been adopted into the Lopez family through marriage I as your father-in-law feel some obligation to see to your future happiness. You have chosen Benita as your life partner and as you’ll recall we opposed that strongly initially as we don’t trust gringos because of how they took over our California and dispossessed us of our land long ago.

But Benita fought us until we investigated and found you were not like those gringos. So, we welcomed you into our family. Your children are our grandchildren and an integral part of the Lopez family. You will rightly mourn our Benita, but our grandchildren need a mother of our culture. So, you should marry Benita’s sister Camila after an appropriate time of mourning. She feels a sense of obligation to her sister and our family and is willing. You know her from visits made to our estate during your courtship of Benita. We understand Benita played a vital role in your rapidly growing corporation, so my son Alberto is prepared to take over her role. He is third in line in our business hierarchy, but we will give him to you to replace our Benita. He has a master’s in economics and wide experience in dealing with government authorities who need to grant permits and concessions.”

Stanley was exhausted from the problems to be solved in commissioning the new factory and grieving the loss of his beloved wife, but his first reaction was one of anger and resentment. He realized Francisco Lopez was trying to be helpful but with his English heritage he felt this was intrusive and insensitive when his beloved had just been taken from him and he missed her so much. What was Francisco thinking suggesting a substitute wife when he’d just lost the love of his life? Beside that he had no place for this Alberto in the company as all the vacancies had been cared for by recent board action. But over the years of his marriage, he’d grown to appreciate cultural differences and knew this was not the time to react to his father-in-law in a negative way as the Lopez family were grieving too and trying to help him in their own way. He spoke at last after carefully considering his words.

“How kind of you Francisco to make these suggestions on behalf of your family. I really appreciate your concern for me and your wish to honor the memory of your daughter and my beloved wife. Please understand I’m not ready for such a proposal. My love for Benita is so strong not even Camila who I love, and respect could possibly replace her, and it wouldn’t be fair to her to be bought into a loveless marriage, so I’d not even contemplate that now. As for help in the company Benita’s role in the company has already been replaced by the board as we are commissioning a new factory and she was training an understudy to take over which our board has respected and confirmed them in that position at this vital time in the company transition.”

Francisco stood in surprise and anger.

“How could you replace my daughter in this company with someone not of the Lopez family? We accepted you as part of our family and you should have consulted with us first.”

Stanley was becoming exhausted with the conversation and wanted to go home to rest.

“I respect you father-in-law, but our company is not entirely controlled by me. There are others in the Gifford family who are members of the board as well as representatives of the bank to which we are heavily indebted as we have transitioned to the huge factory complex, we now have along with representatives of shareholders though we are not listed on the stock exchange as this is a private company. We are now moving beyond the current structure and considering a public listed company to raise capital for expansion so I don’t call the shots as to who is employed, and the board has considered Benita’s role in handing over to the one she was mentoring so she could become a stay-at-home mother with occasional consultant role for the company. She was carrying our third child when the accident occurred, so you see I’m grieving for two not one person. I have not disclosed Benita was with child to anyone else.”

To be continued

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