Chapter 9 - The Bridge over the Divide
The crisis was averted. The manufacturing client was so impressed by the sheer grit and innovative logistics management that they signed a five-year exclusivity contract with Alhena Logistics, securing the company's future for the next decade.
The night after the final shipment cleared, Maris found Franklin sitting on the back of his truck in the warehouse lot, drinking a thermos of black coffee.
She walked over and climbed up beside him, her tailored suit pants getting a bit of dust on them. She didn't care.
"Thank you, Dad," she said quietly. "You didn't have to do that."
Franklin smiled, a genuine, tired smile. "You're my daughter, Maris. And you're the best damn CEO this state has ever seen. I wanted to show those drivers what a real Camden looks like."
He handed her a small, crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. It was the handmade Father’s Day card with the glitter stars from when she was ten years old. It was faded, but completely intact.
May you like
"I never threw it away," Franklin whispered. "I was just too stupid and too proud to tell you how beautiful it was."
Maris looked at the card, and finally, the last remnants of the old pain washed away, replaced by the warmth of a new, hard-earned understanding.
