Chapter 12 - WHAT THEY WERE REALLY AFRAID OF
Walter agreed to one final conversation with Daniel and Vanessa.
Not for reconciliation.
For clarity.
They met in a private room at the Halcyon Grand.
Walter arrived in his gray work uniform.
Vanessa noticed.
“So this is intentional.”
Walter sat down.
“What is?”
“The uniform.”
“I’m working.”
She almost smiled.
Then didn’t.
Daniel closed the door.
Vanessa looked at Walter.
“I’m sorry I hit you.”
Walter nodded.
“I’m sorry I accused you of stealing.”
Another nod.
“And I’m sorry for what I said about poverty.”
Walter waited.
Vanessa struggled with the next sentence.
“I knew better.”
That mattered more.
Walter leaned back.
“Why’d you do it?”
She looked at him.
“Because I thought you couldn’t hurt me.”
Walter nodded.
“Thank you.”
Vanessa seemed surprised.
“For what?”
“Telling the truth.”
Daniel looked at his father.
Walter continued.
“Rich people always think poor folks want their money.”
His eyes moved to Vanessa.
“Most of us mostly want you to stop using it as permission.”
Vanessa looked down.
Then she turned toward Daniel.
“You want me to say I corrupted your company.”
“I want you to say what happened.”
“What happened is you wanted results.”
Daniel accepted that.
“And you wanted approval.”
Her jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
Walter looked at his son.
“What were you protecting?”
Daniel thought before answering.
“The company.”
Walter waited.
“And?”
“My reputation.”
Walter waited again.
Daniel finally said it.
“The distance between who I was and who I thought successful people were supposed to be.”
Walter’s expression softened.
Not much.
Enough.
Daniel looked at him.
“And you?”
Walter rubbed his palms together.
“I was protecting you.”
Daniel frowned.
Walter explained.
He had not gone to the press.
He had not publicly challenged the company.
He had not even told neighbors Daniel was his son until recently.
“I thought if I could get you to see it privately, you could fix it without everybody knowing you missed it.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Even after March?”
Walter shrugged.
“You’re still my boy.”
The sentence hurt more than anger would have.
Vanessa wiped beneath one eye.
Walter noticed.
“Don’t cry for me.”
“I’m not.”
“Good.”
She gave a small, broken laugh.
Walter stood.
“I don’t need either of you to feel terrible forever.”
Daniel looked up.
“What do you need?”
Walter answered immediately.
“Make it harder for the next person with money to decide the person without it doesn’t count.”
Then he left them together.
Vanessa stared at the closed door.
“He’s better than both of us.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
May you like
He looked toward the hallway where Walter had disappeared.
“He just remembers what things cost.”
