“Are they paying?”
“If I fix it.”
Hattie frowned.
“What if you don't?”
“Then probably not.”
“That’s bad business.”
“Thank you, Warren Buffett.”
“Who's that?”
“Never mind.”
She packed her lunch.
Then looked at the magnetic sign Roy had set near the back door after removing it overnight.
“Why do you take that off?”
“People steal magnets.”
“No they don't.”
“It keeps sun from fading.”
“That's boring.”
Roy kissed her forehead.
“School.”
“Van.”
“School.”
She groaned.
By the time Hattie came home that evening, Roy’s phone had received two hundred seventeen notifications.
He did not know why until she ran through the door holding her tablet.
“Dad!”
Roy was at the stove making spaghetti.
“What?”
“You’re online.”
“I’m always online.”
“No.”
“Online online.”
She shoved the screen toward him.
A passenger from an adjacent hangar had recorded part of the engine start through the glass.
The video showed Adrienne pointing at Roy.
Roy walking past her.
The jet starting.
Papers flying.
Warren turning pale.
Someone had added text Roy hated.
VAN MECHANIC HUMILIATES 40 CERTIFIED EXPERTS IN TEN SECONDS
He closed his eyes.
“Oh, no.”
Hattie looked delighted.
“You’re famous.”
“No.”
“Four million views.”
“That's worse.”
She scrolled.
“People say you're a genius.”
“They don't know me.”
“One person says you’re fake.”
“That person is probably healthiest.”
“Dad.”
She stared.
“Why do you still have the van if you can do that?”
The question landed differently than she intended.
Roy turned toward the stove.
Spaghetti water boiled over.
He lowered heat.
Hattie waited.
He could have given easy answer.
Because big companies are dishonest.
Because Warren stole my career.
Because life is unfair.
None would be entirely true.
He pulled out a chair.
“Sit.”
Hattie sat.
Roy leaned against counter.
“A long time ago I worked at a big shop.”
“Like today?”
“Smaller.”
“But nice.”
“Uniforms.”
“Benefits.”
“Steady paycheck.”
“Then I found out people were charging clients for work they didn't need.”
Hattie frowned.
“Like stealing?”
“Close enough.”
“You told?”
“Yes.”
“They fired you?”
“Not exactly.”
“What does that mean?”
“They made it hard to stay.”
She thought.
“Why?”
“Because the problem made money.”