Page 4 of Shifting Gears

“A joint effort with the R&D department,” Eleanor says sharply.

Kayla’s voice cuts through. “Maybe you can’t come up with an original idea to save your life, but Eleanor has every right to present her own projects. She’s a fully qualified engineer.”

Kayla and Ash are usually Eleanor’s only backup in these meetings. Kayla has always been the ambitious one in their little trio, pursuing her degrees voraciously and fitting into the business mould more easily than Eleanor ever did. Ash always sat in the middle, mostly relying on charisma and good connections, and Eleanor has always been the brains, the quiet one. She’d never wanted to get tangled up in the kind of corporate hell that’s become her day-to-day. Even though Eleanor practically sprinted away from Ash and Kayla yesterday, she’s grateful for their presence now.

A few suits in the room shift in discomfort, but only Renée speaks up.

“And how are you suggesting we fund this?” Renée asks, not even bothering to open up the folder on the table in front of her where she might have found that information. “Saving the environment is very noble and all, but how are we supposed to absorb those costs?”

“If you’ll turn your attention to the presentation I’ve provided,” Eleanor says, gripping the remote with a tight fist, “I’ve outlined a possible solution.”

Eleanor’s PowerPoint flickers to life.

“CromTech used to operate nickel mines and manufacturing plants in Bracken County, Ontario,” Eleanor continues slightly more loudly as Renée opens her mouth again. “The region experienced an economic depression after we started outsourcing instead. We still own a large parcel of property there. It’s worth next to nothing right now, but with some work, we could buy up the cheap land around it, develop it all to increase value, and sell at a major profit. Those gains would easily fund the R&D projects I’m proposing.”

“Rural real estate development is your solution?” Renée interrupts yet again. “We’re a tech company. InToronto.” But the rest of the room seems to have perked up at the wordsmajor profit.

“Kayla was one of the best developers in the city before she came to CromTech. She’s been instrumental in the planning phase,” Eleanor says, confident at least in this part of the proposal.

“And how do you think the locals will respond to us swooping in? Do you think we’ll be welcomed with open arms?”

“There are, of course, potential issues if the locals still hold a grudge, but I think it’s at least worth looking into. Surely the betterment of the county will be their priority, no matter who’s responsible.”

“How do we determine that? Are we sending someone to do street interviews?” Renée says snidely.

This meeting is turning into a one-on-one duel. Eleanor gathers what remains of her patience.

“I’m proposing a motion to conduct a feasibility study,” she says through gritted teeth. “We send someone to the area for a few weeks to do a preliminary survey and a cost/benefit analysis of renovating the property. They’ll draw up a development proposal and create a report to present in quarter four.”

“Seconded,” Ash says quickly, before Renée can attack. “All in favour?”

Just over half the board raises their hands. Renée looks sour, but the numbers speak for themselves.

“Seven for, and six against,” Eleanor says wearily. “Motion passed.”

The meeting wraps up soon after. Everyone files out, Kayla and Ash included, but Renée takes her time gathering her things. Usually when she dawdles, it’s because she wants to scold Eleanor for something—last time it had been a critique of her clothes, the time before, a short and insufferable lesson about presentation etiquette—but this time Renée simply swings her purse over her shoulder, knocking Eleanor’s coffee cup across the table.

Eleanor doesn’t move to clean it up after the click of Renée’s heels has faded. Instead she leans forward on the table, hands planted, and watches the dark liquid creep across the lacquered wood. In it, she can see her own wavering reflection.

Ash and Kayla are right, to Eleanor’s chagrin. She does look tired, even under a layer of makeup. Whether caused by stress or by pure lack of sunlight, her pale skin is pastier than ever, and the contrast with her dark hair throws the bags under her eyes into stark relief.

She looks uncomfortably similar to the way her father did in the last few years he headed this company. Run-down. Exhausted.Miserable.

Eleanor should be thrilled that her proposal was approved, even if only by a slim margin. The first step in her plan is complete. Instead there’s a lump in her throat as she stares down at the physical proof of her stress. It’s an insistent ball of tension and anxiety, rapidly threatening to turn into the breakdown Kayla and Ash predicted, and she’s running out of energy to swallow it down.

“Well, that was painful,” a voice rings out.

Eleanor jumps, whirling around and finding Kayla. She’s standing in the doorway, offering Eleanor a handful of napkins.

“More so than usual,” Eleanor admits. She clears her throat, tossing the napkins onto the coffee and letting it absorb. “But I know my green-tech projects are a hard sell. I need to throw the board a financial bone first.”

“Development takes time. A lot of time. You won’t be seeing profit for years.”

“I know,” Eleanor sighs. “Right now the bigger problem is finding someone willing to go to the middle of nowhere to do this feasibility study.”

Kayla sweeps the soaked napkins off the table and into a garbage bin. Her smile is far more confident than Eleanor feels.

“About that: Ash and I have an idea.”

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