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“Dare.” Her tone is severe. She’s laser-beaming me with eyes of disapproval. “I’ve been an interpreter for many years. It wasn’t until carpal tunnel took out my wrist,” she lifts her hands, revealing paper-thin skin and veins running beneath like streams, “that I stopped. And it was only because signing for a prolonged period brought me incapacitating pain that pills could no longer manage.”
“That’s when you started the agency.” I lean against the desk and cross my ankles.
“You did your research.”
“I like to know where my money is going.” I smirk as I cap my water and set it on the desk. “You opened three facilities without additional investment rounds. Ambitious.”
Her lips twitch.
“You’re a gambler.”
“I prefer the term dreamer.”
“I’ll give you that.”
“Like most dreamers, I have a vision of the future.”
I gesture for her to share it. “What kind of world do you envision?”
“One where people like my son can go to the doctor and receive proper care without being told to ‘lipread’, as if lipreading is an expectation rather than a headache-inducing and barely accurate form of communication. It’s a world where people like Yaya can dominate in entertainment spaces, acting, singing, modeling without having to feel isolated or forced into voicing. It’s a world where deaf culture is acknowledgedasa culture and not just a shadow in the corner of society.”
This speech would be moving if Athena wasn’t looking at me like I’m a threat.
“You’re very passionate about the deaf community. It’s personal. I understand.”
She tilts her head. “Do you?”
“Where you’re coming from? Yes. Why you’re giving me the rousing graduation speech? No.”
She crosses one leg over the other. “I knew your father.”
I stiffen.
“Richard checked to see if the bucket was stolen before he built his sandcastles.”
“Dad was a good man,” I say quietly.
“For his sake, I took a gamble on you. I signed your NDA. Until I realized that wasn’t the only questionable contract on the table.”
“You’re referring to my arrangement with Yaya. Is there a problem?”
“If there was, I already signed on the dotted line. Accepted the cash. This isn’t me here to lecture you. You’ll get your money’s worth, and I won’t say a word.”
“I’m guessing that’s not on your own merit.”
Her eyes turn sharp. “That NDA was a noose.”
“My lawyers are thorough.”
“Before you get cocky, I’m not afraid.”
“This isn’t a threat.” I lift both hands. “Ask me what you want. You know everything already.” I hid nothing from the interpreters who were present the day Yaya agreed to our arrangement.
Frankly, I’m surprised Athena waited this long to confront me.
Sometimes, people put things off because they want to believe the best of someone. Even if it’s unwise.
I shake that thought.