The first batch burned. The second batch was somehow raw in the middle. The third batch was actually edible. "Success," Sophie announced, drowning her pancakes in syrup. "We're basically professional chefs now. " "Let's not get carried away," Ethan said, but he was smiling.
They spent the morning in Vivian's apartment, Sophie teaching Vivien how to play a card game she'd invented that had rules that changed every 5 minutes. Ethan watched them together, his daughter's laughter mixing with Vivian's, and felt something settle in his chest. This could work. This was working. Around noon, Vivian's phone started buzzing with work calls.
She ignored the first three, then sighed and checked the fourth. I'm sorry, it's the board chair. I have to take this. She disappeared into her home office and Ethan could hear her voice shift into CEO mode. Crisp, professional, all business.
Sophie looked up from her cards. Is she okay? Yeah, kiddo. Just work stuff. She works a lot.
She does. Do you think that makes her happy? Ethan considered the question. I think she's figuring out what makes her happy. Sometimes that takes time.
You should help her figure it out. You're good at fixing things. People aren't cars, Sofh. You can't just replace a part and make them work better. But you can help them find what's broken and then they can fix it themselves.
She played a card. That's what you did for me after mom left. You helped me find what was broken and then you helped me fix it. Ethan's throat tightened. When did you get so smart?
I've always been smart. You just never listen. Viven emerged from her office 20 minutes later looking tired. I'm sorry. Board drama.
Apparently, there's a faction trying to delay the expansion vote. Can they do that? If they have enough support, yeah, she sank onto the couch. I might need to do damage control this weekend. Make some calls.
Smooth some feathers. Or, Ethan said carefully, you could let them delay the vote and use the time to figure out what you actually want. I want the expansion to go through. Do you? Or is that just what you think you're supposed to want?
Vivian stared at him. That's not fair, isn't it? You just told me last night you don't know why you're doing this anymore. Maybe the delay is a chance to figure that out. I can't just stop working because I'm having an existential crisis.
I'm not saying stop working. I'm saying maybe take a breath. Maybe remember that you're allowed to want things that aren't about quarterly earnings. Sophie, who'd been pretending not to listen, looked up. Like pancakes and card games and people who make you smile.
Viven laughed, but it sounded watery. You two are ganging up on me. We're helping, Sophie corrected. There's a difference. The weekend passed in a strange limbo.
Viven made her calls, did her damage control prepared for the board meeting. But she also made time for dinners with Ethan and Sophie, for walks around the neighborhood, for movie nights where they argued about whether penguins or dolphins were superior animals. Monday arrived too fast. Ethan dropped Sophie at school and headed to the shop, where Marcus was already working on the morning's scheduled vehicles. The day passed in the familiar rhythm of diagnostics and repairs, but Ethan found himself checking his phone more than usual.