Dad looks at me. “Well, we had something to tell you, but I’m not sure if this will change it.”
“Go on…” My stomach flips with nerves, but they don’t look worried.
“It’s about the business,” Dad says. “The doctors told me that stress was a contributory factor to the heart attack. I’m better, but it’s going to take me some time to get back to where I was… if I even can.”
“You will,” I insist, but he holds up a hand.
“They’ve given me a healthy eating plan, and I’m going to start walking regularly. But I need help with the business. It’s not easy for a man to say to his daughter, Chess. I should be the one looking after you, and you’ve had far too much on your plate these past few months.”
“You’ve done so much for us,” Mark says stiffly. “I’m so sorry you’ve been under such pressure. But you’re so capable. You’re much better at running the business than I would ever be.”
“So we’d like you to take over,” Dad says. “We’ll both try to help more than we have the last couple of months. But we’d like you to head the business.”
I stare at him. “It’s your company, Dad. You built it from nothing. You can still run it, even if we do a bit more of the leg work.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be around. But it’s as if you’ve breathed new life into it. You have new ideas, and boundless energy to implement them. You’re good withpeople, and the staff all adore you. You’ve handled the books magnificently, and we’re actually making a good profit again.”
“That was Kingi’s doing,” I hasten to add.
“Maybe, but don’t you see? Making that bargain with him was a genius move. It saved our lives.”
“Literally,” Mark says, his lips twisting.
I sit there on the edge of my chair, my spine stiff, breathing fast. “I didn’t want you to know,” I whisper. “I thought you might see it as me…” I glance at Thea, but she’s gone into the kitchen to get a drink, so she can’t hear me. “…prostituting myself.”
“You did what you had to do to save us,” Dad says. “You went to a friend and made a mutual bargain. You weren’t too proud to do whatever you needed to save us, and I’m so proud of you for that.”
My eyes fill with tears. “Don’t…”
“I don’t mean to make you cry,” he says earnestly, “but I want you to know how grateful we all are. And I don’t want to pile all the stress on you. If you really don’t want to do it, we’ll get someone else in. But the fact is that you have proven yourself great at running the company. We’ll help you. But I’d like you to pick up the reins.”
“Mark should do it,” I say, wiping my cheeks, “he’s the eldest.”
“I’m in no shape, Chess.” Mark gives me an open, honest look. “I’m going to have enough to think about with the therapy and meetings. And I’m no good at all the managerial stuff, anyway. I’ll still be working for the company. But I don’t want to run it.”
“Will you do it?” Dad asks me. “For me?”
“Of course.” I get up and go over to sit on the arm of his chair and put my arms around him. “I’d do anything for you.”
“Don’t do it just because I ask you to. Only if you want to, and you enjoy the work.”
I move back a little. “I do. It was hard initially, but I’m starting to find my feet.”
“I thought so. I’m so glad.” He hugs me back. “It makes me feel a whole lot better to know you’ll do it.”
“Then I’m thrilled to say yes.”
It doesn’t escape my attention that everyone looks relieved. Mum is happy that Dad will have less stress, so he can concentrate on his recovery. Nina is just exhausted and glad that she won’t have to worry about money. And I can see how relieved Dad is to pass on the baton at last, and have someone else run the race.
Mark is trying to hold it all together for the rest of us, but the cracks in his soul are wide, and, like the Japanese art of Kintsugi that Kingi mentioned, he needs time to understand that they’re a part of him, and he can’t get rid of them—they will also be there, but he has to learn to accept them. But at least he seems to be on the road to recovery.
I think about the fact that they’ve asked me to run the business long term. It’ll be a challenge. I’m still not sure I’m the right person for the job. But I find myself excited at the thought. This time, it won’t be about covering until Dad gets back and trying to keep us afloat. I can use the rest of the money that Kingi gave me and really do something with the company. Buy new equipment, and hire more employees.
Something occurs to me then… a flash of an idea. I put it to the back of my mind, though. I’ll need to talk to him about that later.
“I’ve got a bottle of bubbly in the fridge,” Mum says, getting to her feet. “I’m going to open it. I think we need to make a toast to a fresh start for all of us.”
I watch her go, and then look over at Mark. His eyes meet mine, and he gives a small smile. I know he feels guilty about what he did. I watch Thea go over and sit on his lap, and shegives him a hug, the same way I’m doing with my dad. Fathers and daughters. When we’re young, they know they need to protect us, and they try so hard to be strong for us. But they’re only human. And sometimes a kiss and a hug from their baby girl is the medicine they need.