Evelyn set a wide platter of fresh blueberry pancakes in front of Daisy, along with a warm pitcher of syrup.

“Your mother signed the papers at the bank,” Brenda said, setting a black fountain pen on the vinyl table next to two white paper files.

Martha took a set of typed pages out of her coat pocket and smoothed them flat on the table.

“This is the master finisher contract for the spring commercial warehouse expansion,” Nathaniel said, sitting down across from Martha.

“It pays twenty-eight dollars an hour, guaranteed directly by Whitmore Construction, with no middleman subcontractor.”