A myriad of architectural wonders stood out on San Ranola’s skyline. Some reflected the sky to appear invisible unless viewed at the proper angle, while others were hulking monstrosities that occupied several blocks. The one thing most had in common was they were all built by the same company: Lanover Industries. Started as a simple construction company, it grew into an architectural giant in the years following the second world war.

The Lanover headquarters equaled its more extravagant neighbors in height. However, its clean lines and edges made it look as if the surrounding roads were a river that had worn the building smooth over the years. When the founder and previous CEO, Marion Lanover, moved his headquarters to San Ranola, he bought out the fifteen city blocks surrounding his building.

Marion developed those plots to ensure he had an unobstructed view from his ancient redwood desk on the thirty-seventh floor. To the west, the last mile of the city before it ended in the vast Pacific. To the east the urban expanse which sprawled out into the hills. And to the north, San Ranola’s steel and concrete jungle blossomed to the horizon.

When his daughter took over, she turned the desk so anyone entering took in the panorama with her seated imposingly at its center. Nancy also used the panorama as a clock, sitting down as the sun peaked over the horizon on one side and was often there well after it had disappeared on the other. Today, however, she was making a concerted effort to leave in time to exercise.

“Ma’am,” her assistant’s voice buzzed over the intercom. “Mister Boyd was wondering if you could fit him in? Your calendar is free this afternoon.” Sean Boyd was her very detail oriented General Counsel and one of the few people who would go toe to toe with her over issues.

“Let me guess, he wants to go over the points for the Board meeting for the eighth time?” Nancy asked with a hefty sigh, setting her pen on the desk. The meeting preparations this morning had been tedious enough, so she had no desire to go back over them point by point again.

“He didn’t say, but I assume so. Shall I decline since you’re running this afternoon?”

“Please,” she said, releasing the intercom button. She pressed it again a moment later. “Maurice.”

“Ma’am?”

“Put him on my lunch for tomorrow.”

“Should I let him pick the venue to show that you’re as benevolent as you are wise?” he asked, with a flourish in his voice. Maurice Grant, her assistant, was another who tested the fences because he knew his worth. She tolerated his shenanigans because Maurice knew her thought processes and routines forwards, backwards, and inside out.

“That’s fine,” she said, shaking her head as she released the intercom. Nancy spent the rest of the morning sorting details for the board meeting next week.

Glancing at the clock when she heard the elevator ding, she smiled, as it was exactly noon. Nancy’s punctuality was matched by few, but Yufei Jiang was one of them. She stood as Maurice showed Miss Jiang in and came forward to shake her hand.

“I love that jacket. It looks wonderful on you,” Nancy said, waving Yufei over to her conference table. “So, what unpleasant news do you have for me today?” she asked, taking a seat at the table as Maurice came back bearing their lunch. The food was ceremonial as they both expected to work through to the afternoon.

“Less than last time,” Yufei replied, taking a seat opposite Nancy. “I followed up on the request you had.” She slid over several sheets with number blocks and graphs. “It’s expensive.”

“But is it profitable?” Nancy asked, her eyes skimming the information.

“Short term, yes. Long term, no. Completely unsustainable,” Yufei said, sitting back. “We would have to prop up most of these beyond a three-year mark.” Nancy put the sheets down and crossed her fingers on the table, looking at Yufei.

“So, at three years, the return dives. Do we sell or shutter?”

“Dependent on the venture and its actual returns.”

“Yes, but what’s your opinion?”

“Always cheaper for us to sell,” Yufei answered immediately. “Shuttering involves layoffs and severance.” Nancy scanned the pages again before nodding.

“I want you to present this to the Board next week,” Nancy said, putting the information aside and opening her folder. When Yufei didn’t reply, Nancy raised her eyes to find Yufei’s lips pursed. Nancy observed her for a moment before taking a deep breath and sitting back in her chair. “Speak your mind.” Yufei looked at her and back to the table several times before she spoke.

“You’re having me present this because it won’t pass. You’re throwing me under the bus,” she mumbled. Nancy raised her chin slightly and refined her gaze at Yufei, who stared at her hands. Neither moved, nor spoke for some time until Nancy sighed and sat forward, taking up her folder again.

“Quite the opposite,” Nancy said, skimming a few of the pages. “The Board’s been considering venture profit options, and I wanted to give you a win by having you present it,” Nancy said, looking up from the sheet. Yufei was stiff in the chair, her hands balled on the table.

“If you don’t believe in it, I won’t ask you to present. I appreciate your honesty,” Nancy nodded. “I’m glad I was correct about you despite others objections to your taking the Senior Director position.” She flipped a page and pointed to a middle section. “Now, the third and fourth paragraphs in your Q2 wrap up are financial speak. We’ll need that in layman’s terms.”

___________________________

The sun was peaking out from her ceiling above the Pacific when she finished changing. Nancy folded her clothes, placed them in her bag with her shoes, and slung it over her shoulder.

“Enjoy your run,” Maurice said without looking up as she left her office.

“Tomorrow Maurice.”

“Bright and early ma’am.”

Even leaving this early, traffic on The Six was madness. It took Nancy nearly an hour to reach the small tucked away cul-de-sac on the less wealthy side of suburbs and her preferred running trail. This time of day the Abrams Park regular lot was full and this small neighborhood had a back entrance to the park with fewer people.

Annoyed at being late, she threw the car in park, grabbed her sunglasses, and stepped out. Pressing the key fob to arm the alarm system, Nancy checked her watch to figure out how long she could run when someone called out to her.

“Afternoon!”

Looking up, she saw a young man in a paint-stained shirt waving next to the fence of the house. The fence which had been beaten and dilapidated the other times she had come through, was repaired and he was painting it. So much for parking here.

“I didn’t realize anyone lived here. I’ll move my car,” she said, turning back to her car.

“No no! You’re fine,” he yelled, causing her to stop. “I don’t have a car so it’s not like you’re taking my spot.” Nancy turned and walked over.

He was short with golden tan skin and calm dark brown eyes. The shaved sides of his head were growing back around ears that poked out. His black hair on top, pulled back in a small ponytail, matched the goatee and the little but under his lip. The stand out feature was his large curved nose. It drew the eye but worked with his welcoming smile, making him oddly handsome. He swallowed and shuffled his feet as she approached.

“You’re sure it’s all right I park here?” she asked, putting on her sunglasses.

“Yeah! It’s all good,” he said, waving her question away as his posture relaxed.

“Thank you. This is closer to The Six than the park’s lot.” He pulled his shirt up, revealing a lean torso and defined abs.'

“Don’t sweat it,” he said, letting the shirt drop as he smiled at her. “Told you I lived back here.”

“Pardon?”

“We met the other evening back in the park,” he said, still smiling as Nancy narrowed her eyes trying to remember him.

“By the stream,” he explained, but she still couldn’t place him as he leaned on the corner fence post and chuckled. "You thought I was homeless.”

“Oh! My apologies, but you looked like a beggar,” she said, crossing her arms and cocking her head to the side.

“Shoeless in the river? That’s fair,” he said, thrust his hand, covered in paint, out to her. “I’m Ikher.”

“Nancy,” she said, reaching around to shake his clean wrist. He laughed again and looked down at his shirt and hands.

“Sorry. Forgot I’m all dirty,” he said, wiping his hands on his shirt. “This your nightly run?” Conversation would apparently be the currency exchanged for her parking spot.

“On nights when I can get away from work in time, yes,” she answered, making it a point to glance at her running path before looking back to him. He chuckled and reached down to grab his paintbrush.

“Well, feel free to park here whenever you need to. I’ll let you get going so I can get back to this.” He smiled, bringing the paintbrush up to his forehead in a salute. She managed not to laugh as he had thrown paint onto his head and hair.

“Thank you, Ikher. Good to meet you,” she said, turning and starting down the path.

Nancy enjoyed the solace of running alone where no one knew her. It provided the ordered quiet of her own mind where she could sort and process without the added distractions of the office or home.

She’d spent her morning placating the members of the Board. Matieus Clough, a wonderful man and one of her oldest friends, was a complete prima donna about where he stayed when visiting. His stay last quarter at Pinnacle Towers had been a disaster.

Nancy called in a favor to secure him an executive suite at the Ranola Waldorf. This was, of course, extended to all the visiting board members because, heaven forbid, one of them have better lodging than another.

The afternoon conference calls with New South Wales Construction and Obsidian Construction had gone well. Though a buyout was years away, both their boards were willing to move forward once the political climate was more accommodating to big business. Their current progressive Prime Minister and Parliament were tightening restrictions and increasing regulations for local businesses and non-native companies. Nancy made a mental note to research shells and donors willing to invest in changing the current leadership.

It was thoughts of her lunch with Yufei that lingered. Her senior finance director was perceptive enough to notice that Nancy didn’t want to present, even if her reasoning was incorrect. The proposal wouldn’t fail on its own merit, but Nancy’s opposition would sink the measure if they knew it came from her.

A decade ago, Nancy had taken over the company as her father drove it into the ground. Against constant interference, she lead a slow but steady path that put Lanover Industries back into the green. Profitable was good, but Nancy’s vision was grander than shareholder pockets overflowing.

Elevating the company above its previous glory was a complicated web with many steps. Smaller steps joined to create larger ones. Her acquisition proposal was one of those required support strands. Once that revenue was in place she could fund other projects without effecting the general budget.

Nancy decided that with some coaching, Yufei would still present the motion. Even though some of her opposition had died off or moved on, enough remained to prove troublesome. As a neutral third party, her senior director would get the votes needed and would benefit from the experience of working with the board.

Nancy’s watch beeped, indicating her halfway point right as she reached the second bridge. She smiled as she crossed over, heading back towards her car.

___________________________

Heading east on The Six, Nancy entered the Medesco tunnel after a climb through the foothills. After twelve years of planning and construction, the tunnel finally opened all six lanes last year. What used to be an almost two hour climb over the mountain was now, on a good night, a quick thirty minute ride.

A few miles on the other side of the mountain Nancy exited The Six and drove north, toward the affluent Desert Springs area. Browns, tans, and greys ruled the landscape here; the only green being palm tree fronds or artificial lawns. Her car’s AC unit turned on, compensating for the noticeable temperature increase on this side of the Medescos.

Motion activated lights guided her up the long twisting driveway which ended in the roundabout in front of her home. Nancy had commissioned her company’s architects to design the home, providing her own additional oversight. The result being an efficient and elegant two-story mid-century modern mansion.

Getting out of her sedan, Nancy took a moment to admire the scene. She always enjoyed arriving home in the evening. The soft lines of the architecture, accented by the gentle glow of the driveway lights. It reminded her of a painting with the open starry desert sky behind it and the mountains in the distance.

“Good evening ma’am. Pleasant run tonight?” Narmeen, their maid, greeted her as she entered.

“It was, thank you,” Nancy said, putting her bag next to the console table by the door.

“There’s poached Branzino with Beurre Blanc waiting. Mr. Lanover and Michael have already eaten. I will depart for the night if you need nothing.” Narmeen was an impeccable chef and kept the place spotless. Nancy had been lucky to secure her after their last maid had quit.

“No, thank you. Have a good evening,” Nancy nodded to Narmeen and closed the door behind her. Heading to the kitchen, she collected her plate from the oven where it was warming and sat at the island to eat. Hungry after her run, she devoured the delicious meal and noticed her husband strutting by as she put her plate in the dishwasher.

“Where’s our son?” she asked, closing the dishwasher. “He’s usually come to panhandle by now.”

Jared’s glasses, nestled in his short blond crew cut, nearly fell off as he course corrected to the island. He grinned, walking up in his usual home attire: button-up shirt, slacks, loafers. The manila folders he carried said he was heading to his office to get a jump start on work for tomorrow.

“He’s out studying with friends,” he replied, the smile reaching his brown eyes. Nancy sighed and glared at him.

“Since when has Michael ever studied? For anything?”

“I know. I know,” he said, hands going up. “That’s why when he asked, I let him go. Maybe he’s turning over a new leaf?” Nancy closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her.

“He’s not studying,” she said with a sigh. “He’s off screwing around with his idiot friends and he’ll come back broke as usual and ask for more money.” She put her hand on the counter and shook her head at him. “Really Jared? I thought we were in agreement on this.”

“What if he is out studying?” Jared said, holding his hands out. “Don’t you have any faith in him?”

“No,” she said, flatly. “Michael's never cared about school and will do whatever his friends tell him because he’s desperate for their attention.” It was Jared’s turn to sigh and shake his head.

“Then maybe we should spend more time with him,” he said, running his hand over his mustache and chin. “Maybe he’s desperate for our attention.”

“Is he?” Nancy laughed. “He doesn’t say more than two words to me unless he needs money. He doesn’t want our attention, he wants us to be an ATM,” she said, pushing her finger into the counter. “Him staying home prevents him from spending, which is why, we agreed, he doesn’t leave the house on school nights.” Jared sighed and held his hands out.

“All I’m saying is that us spending more time with him wouldn’t be a terrible thing."

“You’re right,” Nancy said, crossing her arms under her chest and nodding. “Go spend time with him by bringing him back home.” Jared’s shoulders dropped, but before he could say anything Nancy shook her head. “You cut him loose. You go get him." Jared shoulders dropped as he collected his folders.

“Guess I’ll be back.”

___________________________

Nancy showered, changed into her pajamas, and was in her office checking emails. After several minutes she heard Jared come in and felt hands on her shoulders. She let him massage her but when he kissed her neck, she swiveled around the chair.

“What are you doing?”

“I figured I’d apologize for letting Michael run off,” he said with a wry smile.

“Jared, I have work to do,” she said, spinning her chair back around to the desk.

“You always have work to do,” he sighed walking over and sitting on the bed. She took a deep breath, checking herself before she spoke. Jared could be… sensitive, and she didn’t want to deal with one of his emotional spirals.

“I run a company,” she said, turning back around to him. “A company that provides for us. That put us in this house. That lets you go golfing with the mayor.”

“I know where this comes from,” Jared replied, holding a hand up to stop her. “Don’t speak to me like I’m a child.”

“Then stop acting like one. If you’re feeling pent up, I’m sure you know how to release it.” Jared did a double take as his mouth fell open. He shook his head, looking at her incredulously.

“Wow. Thanks. So, you’re just, done with sex now?”

“Perhaps. I don’t know. We’ve had sex what, once, in the past... three years,” she said with a shrug. “Perhaps that part of this relationship has sailed. What I do know, is that right now, I have important things I need to worry about.” He did another double take.

“So, I’m not important?”

“Now you are being a child," Nancy said with a sigh. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him with a hand up this time. “Fine Jared. If it’s that important to you, do what other disgruntled husbands do and find yourself a mistress."

Jared stared at Nancy, his mouth agape. He blinked a couple times, shook his head, and walked out.

“Just please use protection,” Nancy called after him, spinning back around to the computer. “It’s enough that Michael’s almost old enough to bring home a bastard child. I don’t need to worry about you as well.”