After the meeting, he went to her office. She looked up. She could read his face by now. What? The community center dedication is in 6 weeks.
She leaned back in her chair. I know Rhonda mentioned it. That building is, he paused. It's the best thing I've built. Structurally, I don't say that lightly.
She waited. And a significant part of that is because you fought me on every decision that needed fighting. He held her gaze. I want you to know I know that. Something moved across her face.
Ethan, I'm not good at saying things like that. He stood in her doorway. He'd become a doorway person, too, apparently. But I'm working on it, so just let me say it. She closed her mouth.
Let him. That building is going to mean something to real people for a long time, he said. And you had more to do with that than the punch list is ever going to reflect. That's what I wanted to say. A pause.
Okay, she said softly. Okay, he said. He went back to his office. He sat at his desk and stared at his monitor for approximately 90 seconds before he could focus on anything on it. His phone buzzed.
A text from Clare. For what it's worth, the beam is also the best beam I've ever seen. He stared at that text. Then he typed back, "It's a very good beam." Her response was 3 seconds later.
Top five beam nationally. That's generous. I'm a generous person. He put his phone down and did actual work for the first time in 20 minutes. And the work felt good, and the day felt good, and he was aware quietly without examining it too hard that good days had been happening with more frequency than he'd been used to.
Thursday night was when Daniel called, not texted, called. Ethan saw the number and almost let it go to voicemail and then thought about what Clare had said. Do it. If it makes you lighter and answered, "Hey," Daniel said. Hey, a pause.
Thanks for picking up. I wasn't sure you would. I wasn't sure either. Another pause. The kind that meant someone was organizing what they actually want to say rather than what they've rehearsed.