At the end of the first session, Lydia put a motion before the directors. The board would suspend the existing access-efficiency incentives, commission an independent review of lounge treatment, require secondary verification for legacy memberships, and establish a confidential way for employees to challenge instructions they believed were improper without fear of retaliation. It would also create a customer dignity standard with clear training, regular audits, and public reporting of meaningful service measures.
The motion passed unanimously. Constance did not applaud. She had watched too many policies receive enthusiastic approval and then fade beneath the pressure of daily work. She asked Daniel to schedule follow-up reports at thirty, sixty, and ninety days, with named executives responsible for completion. She wanted customers and frontline employees included in the evaluation rather than shown the finished policy after every decision had been made.
"Item one," Lydia said, preparing to close the meeting, "the Solstice Club incident."
Constance lifted her hand. "Not just an incident. A lesson. And a lesson has no value if we forget it the moment the embarrassment fades."
She then asked for Marisol Vega to return. The attendant entered hesitantly, as though expecting another examination of a choice she had made almost without thinking. Constance invited her to sit in the place beside Daniel. It was the same seat several executives had occupied earlier in the meeting.
"Marisol," she began, "how much of the manager's work do you understand?"
"I've worked the desk when supervisors were absent. I can handle the legacy membership records, shift rosters, supplier orders, and guest complaints. But I've never been trained to run a full lounge."
"Then we should not pretend you have," Constance said. "I also don't intend to leave a place in need of better leadership without finding someone who knows the work and cares about the people."
Marisol sat very still. "Mrs. Reed, I don't understand."
"This lounge needs a manager who remembers its purpose. Daniel, have human resources arrange an immediate interim appointment, with proper compensation and an experienced mentor. Then give Marisol a fair chance to demonstrate whether she can lead the team."
Imani nodded. "We can appoint her acting lounge manager while we complete the formal assessment and training. She'll receive management pay from the start, not just the responsibilities."
"Thank you," Constance said. "I dislike the habit of rewarding reliable workers by asking them to do two jobs for the price of one."
Marisol pressed a hand to her mouth. She had expected at best to avoid discipline for offering tea without authorization. The idea that anyone might consider her capable of leading the place left her feeling unsteady.
"Why me?" she whispered.
"Because you remembered something the rest of us nearly forgot," Constance replied. "And because you'll have the support to learn the parts you don't yet know. Kindness alone won't reconcile a budget or supervise an emergency. But somebody who doesn't care about people shouldn't be trusted with those tasks, either."
Marisol nodded, tears gathering despite her efforts to stop them. "I won't disappoint you."