MY NEW FAVORITE CHRISTMAS
Sophia's eyes burned.
Jake’s sister watched her.
“I don't know what happened.”
Sophia looked down.
“My brother thinks he scared you away.”
“He didn't.”
“The little girl thinks she did.”
Sophia closed her eyes.
“She didn't.”
“Then what happened?”
Sophia looked toward the Market Street acquisition folder.
Jake's sister followed her gaze.
She understood before Sophia explained.
“Oh.”
Sophia nodded.
“My company is trying to buy the building.”
Jake’s sister sat.
“The garage.”
“Yes.”
“And tear it down.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Sophia expected anger.
Instead, Jake's sister asked:
“Are you still buying it?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“If I don't, two hundred people may lose jobs.”
Jake’s sister looked toward the drawing.
“And if you do?”
Sophia swallowed.
“Jake loses the garage.”
“He loses more than that.”
“I know.”
“His wife helped build it.”
Sophia's eyes lifted.
Jake had mentioned his wife.
Not that.
His sister continued.
“They opened it together.”
“Before their daughter was born.”
“She did the books.”
“He did the repairs.”
“When she got sick, she made him promise not to sell it just because it hurt to walk inside afterward.”
Sophia looked away.
That made everything worse.
Jake’s sister stood.
“I’m not here to tell you what decision to make.”
Sophia looked surprised.
“I just needed you to know disappearing hurt them.”
She moved toward the door.
“Sophia?”
“Yes?”
“Whatever you decide, tell him the truth.”
Then she left.
Sophia sat alone.
The acquisition plans lay beside the little girl's drawing.
She stared at both.
Then something clicked.
Not emotionally.
Architecturally.
She pulled the property plans closer.
Existing garage footprint.
Large central lot.
Unused storage wing.
Height allowance.
Mixed-commercial zoning.
Her pulse increased.
She opened her laptop.
Building-code documents.
Structural survey.
Street access.
Loading requirements.
Retail frontage.
The more she looked, the more possible it became.
Not easy.
Possible.
Sophia called her CFO.
“What if we don't demolish the garage?”
He sighed.
“We discussed this.”
“No, listen.”
She turned the monitor.
“Keep the original ground-level garage.”
“Reinforce the structure.”
“Build retail and studio space around and above it.”
The CFO went quiet.
Sophia continued.
“Use the garage as an anchor tenant.”
“Automotive service for luxury clients.”
“Valet maintenance.”
“Storage.”
“Fleet partnership.”
“Make it part of the project instead of an obstacle.”