Not even for your favourite baby sister?
She knows I can’t say no to her.
James
If you damage it at all, you’re paying for it.
Nessie
Aww thank you thank you big brother! You’re the best. Can I pick it up around 5?
James
Sure.
I tap out of the conversation, then pop back in.
James
No sex in my car.
Nessie
You’re no fun.
At least there’s now only a 50/50 chance that she’s going to bang someone in my car. I move down the list, scrolling for the person I actually want to hear from, and from just a few hours ago is a picture from Stella. Our conversation thread has grown longer and much more quickly than I anticipated. We’ve taken to chatting throughout the day, and I’m finding my hand twitching to my phone periodically, wanting to check if she sent me anything yet.
Today she’s in her classic neon pink, oversized, knitted sweater with her hair in wavy-looking braids. She has three different muffin flavours on the counter behind her, but she’s pouting. It still brings a smile to my face.
Sunshine
no blueberries today!
I quickly tap out a reply.
James
your favourite?
Sunshine
yeah! Especially with some lemon zest? Mwuah! Chef’s kiss. But the supplier didn’t have any when Beck checked.
James
that’s too bad, I would’ve loved to try one.
Her replies stop coming, probably because she’s working. I get back to my laptop and open up some of the reports. There are some future projects in the works, and the fact pages make my stomach churn. The locations on here are riddled with low-income housing, run down neighbourhoods, and some more historic buildings. The list goes on and on.
Every location is slotted for a complete demolition and rebuild; my father’s specialty.
And every single location is in a low-income neighbourhood. They’re going to kick people out of their homes and put up buildings they could never afford. Ugh, or a mall. Or a goddamn parking lot.
Even if I signed on as CEO right now, there’s nothing that I could do to stop this from moving forward. My father proudly spouts about what a successful construction company he’s grown, but they’re real specialty is in destruction. Demolition. Desolation.
I flip through photos of dilapidated, worn-down buildings. Each one is full of character, even if it needs a touch of love. Some of these could easily be saved, which my dad and the board have to know. However, they wouldn’t get nearly as much money for them.
Greedy vultures.
