CHAPTER FOURTEEN K: THE WRONG PERSON TO BLAME

A foundation trustee named Peter Ainsley arrived at Yvette’s office demanding Simone’s dismissal.
He said staff had embarrassed the organization by discussing internal problems with families and donors.
Yvette asked which conversation had been inaccurate.
Peter said accuracy was not the point.
He believed employees should respect the chain of command.
Simone entered the meeting at Yvette’s request and asked Peter to identify the policy she had violated.
He accused her of turning ordinary mistakes into a public spectacle.
Simone explained that a family had been told it refused housing that was never offered.
Peter said she should have brought the matter to management privately.
Simone replied that she had done so twice and had received instructions to stop asking questions.
Peter turned toward Yvette and said the exchange proved Simone was insubordinate.


Yvette asked whether he had reviewed the two reports Simone submitted.
Peter admitted that he had not.
Laila arrived with copies and placed them on the table.
Both reports carried receipt stamps from the foundation’s executive office.
Peter studied the dates.
He asked whether Cedric’s staff had received the reports.
Laila said the available correspondence indicated they had.
Yvette told Peter the committee would review management failures before considering disciplinary action against the person who raised them.
Peter left without apologizing.
Simone waited until the door closed and said she had expected to be fired that morning.
Yvette said she had once been too concerned about appearing united to hear difficult information.
Simone replied that she was less interested in an apology than in a process that would work when Yvette was absent.


Yvette asked her to help design it.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN L: THE SISTER AT THE DOOR

Yvette’s sister, Camille, arrived unannounced on a Saturday carrying a bag of oranges and an expression that made excuses impossible.
Camille said she had heard about the separation from a mutual friend.
Yvette invited her inside and prepared tea.
Camille asked why Yvette had not called her.
Yvette said she was ashamed.
Camille looked surprised.
She asked whether Yvette believed she had to remain married to prove she had made a good decision years earlier.
Yvette said the marriage was only part of the shame.
She had signed foundation announcements that turned out to be misleading.
Camille listened while Yvette described the warehouse and the families who had been promised help.
When Yvette finished, Camille asked what she was doing to correct the damage.
Yvette told her about the review and the new placements.
Camille said those sounded like useful beginnings.
She did not tell Yvette everything would be fine.
Instead, she asked whether Yvette had eaten lunch.
Yvette admitted she had not.
They made sandwiches and sat on the kitchen floor because the dining table was covered with documents.
Camille asked about Damian only after they had finished eating.
Yvette said he was kind and that the kindness frightened her because she did not want to make him responsible for repairing her life.
Camille said a relationship was not a repair service.
Yvette smiled at the phrase.
She asked Camille to stay for dinner.
Camille agreed on the condition that they put the foundation papers away for one evening.