Humphrey looked completely against leaving his brother alone, but decided that was a battle he wouldn’t win. Briefly, he raised his hands in surrender. “I’m taking Vay out to meet with some of the factory execs and then to lunch after,” he said. “I thought Grek might want to come along. I’m afraid I’ll now have to insist he come along,” Humphrey’s tone matched the tightness in his expression.
Aaron nodded, his smile tight as well. “Sounds like a good idea. Hey Grek?” He called to Gabriel who sat stiffly behind his worktable. Gabriel eyed Rena Abreu as distrustfully as she eyed him.
“Joel’s driving me today. I’ll have him drop them back at home too,” Humphrey said when Gabriel shot up at the sound of being summoned and promptly made his way to the door.
“I only need to make a quick stop by the library when we’re done at the factory.”
“The library?” Gabriel and Vale both blurted as if horrified.
“A quick stop,” Humphrey reiterated and then shifted his focus back to the office. “Ari are you sure about this?”
“You guys enjoy yourselves,” Aaron closed the door in his brothers’ faces.
“Your brother is an uppity idiot,” Rena Abreu called from the seat she’d taken before Aaron’s desk.
“I apologize for his tone-”
“A good-looking, uppity horse’s ass and what a waste that is,” Rena interjected.
“I didn’t call you here to discuss my brother.”
“Then why?”
Aaron hefted the thick folder. “Your grievances.”
Rena seemed to freeze in her chair. “Are you firing me?”
“I’d like to talk about-”
“Because if you are,” Rena scooted to the edge of her chair, her index finger aimed defiantly. “You should know I’m not the only one with these complaints. I’m just the one with nerve enough to tell management that its pissing all over its people. Good, hardworking people who still struggle to put food on the table, while you-”
“I didn’t call you here to fire you, Mrs. Abreu.”
“Miss Abreu,” Rena said, following a few silent moments of processing Aaron’s words. “Then why?” she added.
Satisfied the woman’s temper had cooled as much as it was going to, Aaron opened the folder and drew his hand down a page. “I’ve gone through the complaints and managed to categorize them. Given their number, it’s still hard to tell which in your opinion are the most pressing. I wanted to speak with you to discern that-um understand it,” he clarified when she studied him curiously.
“It’s all important,” Rena said.
“Agreed,” Aaron gave a curt nod. “Which seems most urgent to you, though?”
“Why are you so interested?” she replied with a question. “No one else was. I’ve worked for your father’s factory most of my life, you know?”
Aaron knew that, having checked her background. Rena Abreu was a native of Tocantins, Brazil. Records showed that she’d immigrated to America when she was 9. She’d been listed as an orphan. Currently, she resided in Harlem.
“There was a time when issues were heard and handled,” Rena went on. “That time ended when Tesano became one of the biggest textile and shipping organizations in the country.”
Aaron raised a brow, impressed. “You know the company.”
Rena’s expression revealed nothing. “It’s important to know your stuff when you deal with a horse’s ass.”
Aaron sighed. “I’m gonna have to ask you to stop calling my brother names. That’s my job.”
Rena blinked, surprise illuminating her expression then. “You made a joke.”
Aaron gave a half shrug. “It happens.” He tapped a finger to the folder, returning their attention to it. “I can help you get answers to your grievances, Miss Abreu.”
Rena didn’t seem convinced. “You’ll find many of those...grievances are related to women’s issues. Are you saying you’ll help me get answers to those?”
“I’m aware that we have female employees, Miss Abreu.”
“Don’t treat me like an idiot Mr. Tesano, that would be stupid and strangely you don’t come across that way.”
He smiled cautiously. “Why is that strange?”
“Men with the kind of looks you and your brothers are blessed with usually come with barely an ounce of brain.”
“Thanks. I think. So? Will you work with me?”
“You mean for you?”
“I say what I mean Miss Abreu.”
“Many of the women working for Tesano are concerned for their safety.”
Aaron frowned, heightened concern evident when he hunched over his desk to glare down at Rena Abreu. “Has something happened at the factory?”
“It’s not the factory. It’s getting home from the factory. Many of us live far distances from work which means long travels home. For the ones working second and third shifts, that can mean walking a mile or two in the dark from the bus or subway stops. There have been women who...”
