Daniel returned to his truck to finish packing. From the corner of his eye, he saw Catherine walk to the edge of the lawn and place a call. She spoke quietly at first, then smiled with surprise at something the other person said. The sound of her voice changed. It became purposeful without becoming defensive, and Daniel realized that she was remembering what she had known how to do long before the current board had begun deciding she was expendable.
At eleven-fifteen, Richard's Mercedes returned. He parked in the driveway and remained in the car for a moment, looking at the newly repaired gate and the straight line of fence beyond it. Daniel had begun stacking the old hardware for disposal. Catherine emerged from the house carrying a leather bag, keys in hand, her expression entirely different from the one she had worn when Richard last saw her.
"I need a few minutes," Richard said, stepping out. "About Lily. And about the property."
"My attorney will answer the custody petition," Catherine replied. "As for the house, I'm not selling my interest."
"You haven't even reviewed the number."
"I know what you asked. I also know why."
Richard glanced at Daniel, as if the sight of him might explain her confidence. "Have we moved beyond contractors now? Is everyone advising you?"
Catherine stopped. Daniel felt the old words rise between them, and he almost turned away. But Catherine took a step toward Richard instead.
"Daniel repaired my fence," she said. "He did the work I hired him to do, and he did it well. He has not asked for a single thing from you. Do not speak about him as if his work makes him invisible."
Richard's smile narrowed. "That's not what I meant."
"Then mean what you say."
She looked toward the house, where Lily was moving through the kitchen. "If you want to be part of our daughter's life, call her and ask about her presentation. Ask her how school is going. Don't send me paperwork designed to make her afraid she'll be moved from her home."
"You can't seriously expect me to ignore concerns about your stability."
"You can bring genuine concerns to the appropriate people. You cannot turn a business dispute into a story about whether I love my daughter."
Richard looked from her to Daniel and back. "You're making this difficult."
"It was difficult before you arrived," Catherine said. "I'm choosing not to make it worse."
She crossed the driveway toward her car, then stopped beside Daniel's truck. "The gate locks with the new code. You have it. Please close it when you're done."
"Will do."
She nodded and drove away, leaving Richard standing on the gravel with no audience willing to turn his frustration into authority. He watched her car disappear, then approached Daniel, who was finishing the last item on his checklist. His tone was lighter now, though the purpose behind it was not.
"Nice work," Richard said. "The fence looks good."
"Thank you."
"How long have you been here?"
"Three days."
"You seem comfortable."
"The work takes time."