Chapter 5 - The Gift of a Purpose
The following Monday, Julian did not attend the board meeting in person, but he joined via video conference. For the first time since his injury, he appeared wearing a pressed dark suit, sitting tall against his headrest, his hair cut clean and his voice ringing with clarity.
He calmly tore down Thomas’s proposed cost-cutting measures, pointed out structural flaws in the Vance partnership agreements, and proposed a community-based development initiative for the depressed mill valleys two counties south. The board, stunned by his sudden resurgence of vigor, voted overwhelmingly in his favor.
When the screen went black, Julian breathed deeply. He called Clara into the study.
On his mahogany desk lay a thick set of architectural drafts, newly stamped with the Sterling seal.
"I need a site liaison," Julian said, turning his chair toward her. "Someone who understands what a working town actually needs, someone who can spot shoddy carpentry before the concrete pours, and someone who will tell me when my designs are arrogant."
Clara shook her head, bewildered. "Mr. Sterling, I am a maid. The board will laugh at you."
"The board just handed me fifteen million dollars of discretionary development authority," Julian countered, his eyes bright with conviction. "I don't need another graduate with a gold-leaf resume who has never smelled sawdust. I need your eyes, Clara. And I need a partner who doesn't look at a ruined foundation and think it's impossible to rebuild."
Clara touched the edge of the blue-lined paper. Her fingertips were slightly rough from years of work, but as they brushed the white timber drawings, they seemed completely in their element.
May you like
"If I take this," she said slowly, looking up, "you come to the site. No hiding behind computer screens. If we build for real people, you look them in the eye."
Julian held out his hand. "Deal."
