Then he went back to work, but this time they were both smiling, and neither of them pretended otherwise. Lily met Emily three more times before she delivered her verdict. The first time was a dinner at the Caldwell estate, the one Henry had mentioned in the phone call with Lily, fully in attendance and fully in possession of opinions. She'd asked Emily 17 questions over the course of the meal, covering topics that ranged from her job title to her opinion on whether bats were underrated to whether she thought the Georgia State Flower was a good choice or just a default. Emily had answered all 17 questions seriously and directly, which in Lily's evaluation system was the only correct approach.
The second time was at the farmhouse on a Saturday when Marcus had brought Lily along because Mrs. Greer was visiting her sister, and the girl had been bored since 7:00 a.m. and had been making it everyone's problem. Lily had spent the first hour examining Marcus' work with her architect's eyes, and the second hour following Emily around, asking questions about the company, which Emily answered in the same direct way. She answered everything, not simplifying for the child, but also not performing, just talking to her like a person. At some point, Marcus had looked up from the exterior trim work and found Lily and Emily sitting side by side on the rebuilt porch talking about something he couldn't hear both of them serious and focused and he'd had to look away quickly because the sight of it did something to his chest that he wasn't prepared for. The third time was at Cedar Falls Elementary's fall showcase where Lily had been selected to present her civil rights history project. the poster board with the photographs arranged properly taller people in the back so everyone was visible.
Emily came because Lily had somewhat imperiously invited her. Henry came because Emily was coming and he was not going to miss it. Lily presented her project with the focus and precision of someone who had thought about it considerably and intended to communicate that. She spoke for 6 minutes. She took three questions from the judges.
She received a blue ribbon. In the car afterward, Marcus driving Lily in the back. Henry and Emily having taken their own vehicle. Lily said. Emily cried.
Marcus glanced in the rear view mirror. A little, he said carefully. Why? He thought about it. Sometimes people cry when they see something that's exactly right, he said.
When something is done well and it matters. Lily considered this. She's seen a lot of things that weren't done right. I think so, Marcus said. Then she should hang around us more, Lily said decisively.
We do most things right. Marcus kept his eyes on the road. Yeah, he said. We do. 2 days after the fall showcase, Marcus received a phone call that he did not expect.
It came from a man named Owen Patrick, a name Marcus didn't recognize from a number with an Atlanta area code. He almost let it go to voicemail. He didn't. Is this Marcus Williams? The voice was measured and professional, but careful in a way that wasn't corporate more deliberate than that.
It is, Marcus said. Mr. Williams, my name is Owen Patrick. I'm a journalist with the Atlanta Constitution. I'm working on a piece about the Caldwell Group's leadership restructuring following the departure of Richard Hayes. I understand you were directly involved in the circumstances surrounding his departure.