dailies

Fran stood up from her desk, straightened her cardigan and left her office on the first floor.
Two week ago, after Alice’s speech, all teams started to work directly. They set up boards in the atrium to get an overview of the project’s existing business activities, began to collect ideas for additional businesses, checked their budgets and ascertained that they could finance their business expansions with the money they had already made from the project companies. Especially the Hub shares gave them substantial freedom for their plans.
But even so, Seth and Alice made sure only to green-light future companies which would add something to the overall network of the project’s businesses.
‘A global chocolate company?’ Alice countered with a lopsided smile when Seth questioned this suggestion. ‘Chocolate is great. We can use it in all our companies as cheer-me-up treat, in our clinics, too, while giving cocoa farmers a network which values them and their plants, and which is interested in their future and independence. Plus, I bet that we can use the fibres from the cocoa fruits for paper, fabrics and who knows what else. Maybe we can even build boots with the pods.’
Fran smiled to herself. She rarely ate chocolate, but she loved how the project looked at everything from as many angles as possible. Fabrics made from cocoa pods? She wondered whether dot. had already tested this idea.
The Hub was the project’s only widely developed business, with dot. in second place. dot. had an extensive network of workshops and designers by now, but no stations, yet. Many more businesses were part of the Hub Stations, some were project businesses, other local businesses and some local businesses might be transformed into global businesses.
‘Egg division,’ Alice said that night after the speech. ‘That’s what we will do. We start with a single cell and then the cell will split into two and grow, and the two will split into four and grow, and eventually an enormous network will emerge which will celebrate the uniqueness, dignity and ingenuity of every human, a network which will reshape the human habitat and rebuild what previous generations have destroyed, and a network where we rethink everything that might need a rethink. We, our body of work, will be alive and breathe and thrive.’
Alice was good with words. And Fran liked the image of creating something that is alive.
Fran reached the stairs and looked down into the atrium.
Heather was talking with Rose and Mudiwa at the bar. Fran smiled to herself. Now that they would soon leave, everyone seemed to prefer meeting in person, Fran included. Yes, she could send Heather the new article for ripples news, but instead she would find Heather later, probably invite her to a tea, a chat a bit. Raiden reached the group at the bar, showing them something in a folder.
Later that first night, the teams split into smaller groups, and Alice kept an open office until the next morning. With her were Raiden and Andy to set up the necessary simulations, Hachiro, Adeola and Devery, who wouldn’t have been anywhere else on their first night back, Jack and Jason who were driving the ideas for new business stations, Seth who was standing in for Tom, and Beatrice and John, of whom Alice once said: ‘Whenever I doubt our plans, I turn to these two. Their minds are clear and organised. So long as I can convince them, we should be fine. They are my safety net.’
Fran straightened. A group hurried past her. She recognised some members of sweet tooth and others of sfs (straight forward systems). They were probably all heading to the third floor.
Slowly and admittedly a little reluctantly, Fran followed them.
Fran and members of her team joined the discussions in Alice’s office several times that first night whenever they had something to add or when they had been asked to look into something.
Tom had been surprised when Fran came to bed after four o’clock. She hadn’t meant to wake him, and luckily he fell asleep again directly. He didn’t mention the incident the next morning. Which was no surprise because they never talked about the fact that—
Of course, Alice and Tom had another argument that night. Fran nearly intervened, but by the time she had made up her mind, Alice and Tom already stomped away from each other.
Later, Fran found Tom and indicated that Alice had done what she had promised: she had reviewed the town project and she had taken a viable decision.
Tom didn’t comment.
Over the last two weeks, Tom had been brooding, letting Seth do the best part of his work and writing some code for their company in New York. When Fran and Tom were alone, they never talked about the project. There was always something about their children, about their estate, about their businesses in the US. Not that they saw much of each other.
Fran reached the landing of the second floor. Alice’s door stood open. She was writing something on her computer.
On the platform Prince Farid and Andy were talking. There was something urgent in their expressions. Fran wondered what this was about, but she shouldn’t put off talking to Tom any longer.
Two people from breathe came down the stairs and passed her.
Fran took a deep breath.
Down the corridor, Tom’s office door was open, too.
Ten yards? Twelve?
It was only good that Adeola, Hachiro and Devery arrived that evening. Their arrival was a welcome surprise and took the edge out of Tom’s reaction, at least for some team members. Others were troubled by the friction between Alice and Tom.
Tom had this rather unpleasant perception that he was more intelligent than everyone else. Which he occasionally was if you had a narrow understanding of intelligence. Intelligent or not, he lacked imagination and vision.
Fran swallowed.
She didn’t like thinking critical of Tom. It always felt like she was betraying him. But it was true nonetheless. In his heart of hearts, Tom still believed in making money, no matter the costs or consequences. He didn’t have the imagination to build the world, he just knew how to use it. Alice did. And probably overdid it at times. Which was why Alice and Tom had been a good team until—
Fran reached Tom’s office, straightened her cardigan, inhaled and entered.
Tom didn’t look up from the documents he was reading. Instead he bellowed: ‘What is it?’
Fran didn’t answer and walked to his desk.
Tom looked up. ‘Oh, Fran! It’s you,’ he said, trying and failing to sound apologetic.
Without a comment, Fran sat down on the visitor chair.
So far, Fran had been the wife who always had her husband’s back. It had never felt like a duty, just like something she naturally did. Tom was a genius, and a genius needs someone who took care of him, her or them, to guide them subtly, lovingly. Fran had never questioned this or even reflected on it. She was a person who got things done, who was practical, and who would make sure that her husband didn’t make any big mistakes. She always had been the rational in their relationship, and they both respected that.
She was still the rational. But something was different. Something had grown in her, so slowly that she hadn’t been aware of it or thought about it until two weeks ago when Alice gave her speech. That’s when Fran noticed that something had changed — in her.
She didn’t tell anyone, but she took the time to analyse it, to understand it.
And now it was time to let Tom know.
Tom seemed to be waiting for her to say something, and Fran let a small smile appear on her face.
This was going to be very strange. They had never fought — not as such. They might have punished each other with some days of silence when something had upset their relationship, but after some days, Fran would begin to mend them, to be the rational.
Only, this wasn’t one of those situations where they would eventually find common ground. And for Fran the strangest thing about this was that it made her feel free — which was ridiculous. She had always been free. Everything she had done had been her decision, her making. She had wanted to be the rational centre of the family, the one who safely steered the boat while giving her husband the assurance that he was in charge. And sometimes he had been in charge.
But— But something had grown in her that was different, something she had neglected for most of her life, or maybe she hadn’t known about it. And now it was time to get to know that part of herself, to be— she wasn’t quite sure what but—
‘—Fran, what can I do for you?’
Fran exhaled. ‘We need to talk, Tom.’
‘Sure … Can it wait until tonight? It’s—’
‘No, Tom. It can’t wait.’
Tom didn’t look happy. ‘Alright. What is it?’
Fran could tell that he was making an effort, though she didn’t know why. Was he worried about their relationship? That would be a first. So far he had taken their relationship for granted. But now there were cracks in their private bubble and maybe he sensed that, too. These cracks were about to widen. She had never openly opposed him, and they would have to find it in themselves to build a bridge. Each from their side.’
‘Fran, are you okay?’
‘Oh, yes. I am very well.’ Fran inhaled and her new inner self smiled a little and said: ‘Look, Tom, I agree with Alice.’
Tom turned pale. ‘Alice is out of control and refuses to concede defeat.’
‘Alice was never under our control. I told you from the start that you can’t control her.’
Tom shook his head. ‘We gambled. We lost. Why doesn’t she see that?’
‘I agree with Alice,’ Fran repeated. ‘Having a town would have been ideal. But focusing on the businesses and on research, and transforming the project into a global business network is the second best we can do!’
Tom wasn’t just pale now. He looked taken aback.
And Fran felt good. Free — which was ridiculous. And happy — which was always good. And there had been something of a triumphant exclamation mark at the end of her statement. Not because of the words, but because it was out. That new part of herself had taken its first steps, and for a few seconds the image of her daughter, taking her first steps towards Fran, flashed across her mind. It was a glorious moment, back then, and just now.
The trouble with one-sided glorious moments is that it creates a two-worlds situation. Fran felt like dancing and laughing, and Tom looked rattled, at best.
Quietly Tom said: ‘Why don’t we talk about it?’
‘Why?’ Fran asked. ‘I know you disagree, and I think you are wrong. That’s really it. But we have to find a way to deal with this because I would like to take part of my research team back to our estate. We’ll have to redo the guesthouses so people can make them into actual homes. But other than that we’ll have enough space, and we can work closely with the New York team.’
Tom did something, she had seen him do with business people. Never with her. It usually worked. But it wouldn’t work on her.
He stood up, smiled mildly and said: ‘I see. Let’s talk about the details soon.’
Next he took out his phone to check his calendar.
Fran nearly laughed. It would be an appointment on Monday, because it was important to give the other person the weekend to sweat and let doubt get the better of them. And it would be eight am in the hope the person didn’t usually get up early and would be deprived of sleep.
Tom had explained this tactic to her decades ago. He probably didn’t remember, and said: ‘Monday, eight am?’
‘Of course, Tom,’ Fran returned. She stood up, straightened her cardigan, nodded a goodbye at Tom and left.
Fran was a little hurt that Tom hadn’t come up with anything more original. But there was one thing, he had overlooked: Today was Wednesday, and he would have the rest of the week plus the full weekend to sweat himself. And since Fran was busy with her team, he wouldn’t have a chance to catch her in something like a quiet moment. Also, she had no intention of taking her team to the estate. They all wanted to work with the New York Team in New York, but she had learned from Tom that if you expect negotiations, always ask for more than you want to give the other party the satisfaction of making a seemingly more advantageous deal. Tom had been a good teacher. And she did love him. But she wasn’t going to deny herself her newfound freedom, even less so since she really agreed with Alice and wanted to continue to be part of the project.
When Fran reached the staircase, she saw that Alice was talking to Prince Farid, and wondered where the royals would go. Maybe she should tell Alice that she was on her side. Or maybe not. Maybe that would be taking it too far — on the first day.

Sometimes I edit online. Why?
I can’t quite explain it, but editing online gives me a different perspective and grip on a scene.