Page 62 of Committed to You

“You can name it whatever you want if you clean it up.”

“I’ll clean it up. I want any permits we would need for the cleanup and buildout of the park and gardens issued to us at the time of the sale.”

The last thing I’m going to do is have this project get stalled because of permits.

“That might take a bit of time,” the mayor says.

Here we go.

“I’m sure a man of your influence can make this happen.”

He smiles back at me. “There are a lot of permits backlogged that the department is trying to get through.”

“Yes, I’m sure there are. However, I’m also sure a man like yourself can understand my impatience. I like to have friends who know how to get things done in a timely fashion. I’m assuming you’re one of those men?” I sit back in my chair, staring him in the eye.

He stares back at me. A few minutes go by, and we both continue staring at each other.

“Let me make some phone calls and see what I can do for you.”

“Thank you. I would appreciate that and remember that going forward.”

“And I’m assuming you are here to discuss your business development in Chicago as well?” the mayor asks.

“I’m so glad you mentioned that. I’ll schedule another meeting on a different day to discuss that if that is all right? My only priority today is to make sure the park and gardens are developed.”

“Sure. Tell Rochelle on the way out to get you on my calendar. I’m interested to hear your plans regarding your expansion here.”

“Sounds great.”

“I’m assuming you’ll be at the event tonight?”

I take a deep breath.Assuming Vivian allows me to take her, and it doesn’t blow up in my face.“That’s the plan,” I tell him.

“Good. I’ll see you tonight, then.”

We stand up and shake hands.

Dawn turns to me in the lobby. “Vivian doesn’t know you’re setting up a foundation in her name?”

Suddenly, I get panicky that maybe I’m not doing the right thing. “Is she not going to like it?”

Dawn laughs. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“No. Do you think she won’t like it?”

“Her dream is to run her own foundation someday.”

“It is?”

Dawn nods. “Yes. Do you know why she created the initiative?”

Once again, I hardly know anything of substance about Vivian. It’s embarrassing, but most of all I’m disappointed in myself for not finding everything out about her that I could have over the last seven months.

“Her family was homeless for several months.”

My mouth goes dry. “What?”

“Her parents are immigrants from Greece. They moved here and worked several jobs at a time. Things were never easy, but they were getting by when the house they rented flooded. The landlord didn’t fix the roof, and it collapsed, and they lost everything except the clothes on their backs. Some nights they stayed in the shelter, and some nights they couldn’t because it was full. Those nights, they had to sleep on the streets. She told me that she would sleep inside the covered slide curled up to her mom while her dad stayed awake and watched out for them.”

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