Pretended not to.
They stood at the fence.
“It’s good.”
The CEO said.
“It’ll hold.”
“That isn’t what I said.”
He looked over.
She smiled.
“I said it’s good.”
He nodded.
“Thank you.”
The gate hinges were original.
He mentioned them.
“Two hours.”
The CEO looked at him.
“The fence job is finished.”
“Yes.”
“So if you stay…”
“It’s another job.”
They both heard what neither said.
She nodded.
“Do the hinges.”
He did.
The Daughter sat on the back step doing homework.
The Son was staying with a friend, which made the yard feel strangely quiet.
The Daughter eventually asked:
“Were you scared after your wife died?”
The Single Dad stopped tightening a bolt.
“Yes.”
“All the time?”
“Yes.”
“What of?”
He looked toward her.
“Not being enough.”
She waited.
“Not enough money.”
“Not enough patience.”
“Not enough of whatever a child needs from two parents when there’s only one.”
The Daughter lowered her pencil.
“But your Son knows you.”
The Single Dad looked at her.
“Really knows you.”
She continued.
“My dad talks about me like I’m something he should have.”
“My mom talks about me like I’m something she has to protect.”
“You talk about your Son like he’s someone you’re still trying to learn.”
The Single Dad’s throat tightened.
The Daughter looked down.
“I think that’s different.”
“It is.”
He picked up his wrench.
“Go tell your mother you read the custody email.”
Her head snapped up.
“How do you know?”
“You’re terrible at hiding things.”
“I’m not.”
“You’ve been staring at the same math problem for fifteen minutes.”
She looked down.
She had written nothing.
The Single Dad continued:
“She needs to know.”
“What if she gets angry?”
“She will.”
The Daughter frowned.
“That isn’t reassuring.”
“She’ll be angry because you read something private.”
“And because she’s scared.”
“You can survive both.”
The Daughter considered.
Then stood.
“You’re annoyingly reasonable.”
“My Son says worse.”
She went inside.
The CEO came outside ten minutes later.
Different woman.
Not polished.
Not composed.
Real.
“You told her to tell me.”
“Yes.”
“She read the petition.”
“I know.”
The CEO folded her arms.
Then unfolded them.
Put her hands in her pockets.
Took them back out.