“I know.”
“Don’t rewrite her work because people like cleaner stories.”
Tyler nodded.
Daniel added, “But I’m glad we got to help.”
“Me too.”
Tyler left with Renee and Maya shortly afterward.
Peter was next.
He stood in the parking lot beside his black car, hands in his coat pockets.
“A year,” he said.
Daniel nodded.
“You regret signing?”
“Ask me after I review your next quarterly report.”
“That sounds like no.”
“It’s no.”
Peter smiled.
“I told you you wouldn’t regret it.”
“You also told me the first construction phase would be minimally disruptive.”
“I was young and foolish.”
“That was ten months ago.”
“A different man.”
They shook hands.
Peter left.
Marcus disappeared after claiming he had reached his lifetime quota for emotions.
Karen and Grace stayed to help until the room was nearly empty.
Karen found Daniel stacking leftover programs.
“That speech was good.”
“I should have used notes.”
“No.”
“I talked too long.”
“You talked six minutes.”
“Too long.”
Karen smiled.
“You know what I liked?”
Daniel waited.
“You didn’t turn Grace into the reason all this happened.”
He frowned slightly.
“She was part of it.”
“Yes. But so were you. So was Peter. So were the customers. So were the students. Stories like this get flattened because people want one hero and one magic moment.”
Daniel looked through the window at Grace and Chloe taking down decorations together.
“That’s never how life works.”
“No.”
Karen’s expression softened.
“That’s why this worked.”
They stood quietly for a moment.
Grace came out carrying an empty box.
“Mom, ready?”
Karen nodded.
Grace hugged Daniel before leaving.
“Thanks for opening the door.”