Chapter 5 - A Family at Last
Six months later, the boardroom on the twenty-seventh floor of Halstead & Co. looked entirely different.
The heavy mahogany table was still there, but resting on the corner of the credenza was a framed photograph of a sunlit beach wedding: Alexander in an unbuttoned linen shirt, me in a flowing white dress, and Lily standing right between us wearing a crown of white daisies, holding both of our hands.
The corporate world continued to spin at its breakneck pace, but inside our world, everything had found its perfect, beautiful equilibrium.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and the executive floor was officially closed to the public. However, the private office of the CEO was currently occupied by a very important meeting.
Sitting in the massive leather executive chair behind the glass desk was six-year-old Lily, wearing an oversized blazer that belonged to Alexander, pretending to furiously type on a disconnected keyboard while holding an empty coffee mug like a CEO boss.
Alexander and I stood leaning against the doorway of the private lounge, watching her with amused affection.
“Do you think she’s going to take over the company by the time she’s twenty?” Alexander whispered, sliding his arm around my waist and pulling me close against his side.
“At the rate she’s going, she’ll probably renegotiate your salary by Monday morning,” I laughed softly, resting my head against his shoulder.
Alexander smiled, kissing the top of my head. “Let her try. She already negotiated the best deal of my entire life.”
From across the room, the tiny CEO stopped typing, looked up over the edge of the desk, and pointed a stern, miniature finger at us.
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“Hey! No adult secrets in the boardroom!” Lily commanded with a serious, grown-up frown, though her eyes were twinkling with mischief. “Get over here right now for the family hug!”
Alexander and I exchanged a warm, knowing glance. We didn't waste a single second walking across the marble floor to scoop our favorite little auditor into our arms, completing the family she had boldly dreamed into existence.
