The storm didn't come with thunder, but with paper.
Flyers scattered across the community center bulletin board announced a funding shortfall. Elena stood frozen in the hallway, her eyes snagging on the bold print:
"Urgent Meeting: Potential Program Cuts."
Her stomach dropped.
"Don't panic yet," Mira said, appearing at her side with a cup of coffee. Her tone was breezy, but her grip on the cup was tight. "These things happen all the time."
"Cuts? To the art program?" Elena's voice trembled.
"Cuts to everything. Rent's going up, donations are down. They've been scraping by for months."
Elena's throat closed. She thought of the children who rushed through the doors each week, clutching crayons like lifelines. This place was more than walls. It was a sanctuary.
Before she could speak, Adrian's voice cut through the hall. "What's going on?"
He strode toward them, suit jacket slung over one arm. He looked like he'd come straight from court, sharp and untouchable — except for the faint crease between his brows.
Mira held up a flyer. "Your favorite place is in trouble."
Adrian scanned the notice, his jaw tightening. "How bad?"
"Bad," Mira said bluntly. "They're calling for emergency fundraising. If it doesn't work, doors close by winter."
Silence pressed down. Elena felt the air thicken, as if the walls themselves knew what was at stake.
Adrian folded the flyer with precise movements. "They'll need a strategy. A fundraiser isn't just bake sales and hope." His gaze shifted to Elena. "You'll be involved."
The command in his tone lit a spark of anger. "Excuse me?"
"You care about this place," he said evenly. "So do I. If we work together—"
"I don't work with you."
Mira cut in before Adrian could retort. "Actually, you do. Both of you. Unless you want the kids finding out their art classes are canceled because the adults couldn't stand to be in the same room."
Elena opened her mouth to argue, but the thought of Lucas, of all the kids who clung to color like oxygen, stopped her.
Adrian watched her, his expression unreadable. "Then it's settled."
---
Planning Begins
The next evening, the three of them gathered in a cluttered office at the center.
Adrian spread spreadsheets across the table, lines of neat numbers and potential donors. "We need significant contributions. I can approach some law firms, but it won't be enough."
Elena stared at the cold rows of figures. "Numbers won't inspire people. Stories will. The kids' art, their voices — that's what makes people give."
Adrian frowned. "Emotions don't balance budgets."
"No, but they open wallets."
Their eyes clashed, sparks flying. Mira clapped her hands sharply. "Both. We use both. Adrian, you handle the corporate pitch. Elena, you build the emotional side. Together, it works."
Adrian exhaled, leaning back. "Fine."
Elena crossed her arms. "Fine."
Mira muttered, "I feel like I just negotiated a ceasefire."
---
Later – The Shadow Again
As they packed up, Mira asked, "Do you think your family would help, Adrian? A Hale donation would carry weight."
Elena froze.
Adrian's jaw tensed. "My family hasn't supported anything I've done since law school."
Mira tilted her head. "What about your brother? He seemed—"
"Don't." Adrian's voice snapped, sharp enough to silence her. His eyes flicked, almost involuntarily, toward Elena.
Her chest squeezed. Mira noticed but said nothing, only narrowing her eyes as if filing the reaction away for later.
Adrian gathered the papers briskly. "We'll reconvene tomorrow."
He left, his silence louder than any argument.
Elena sat in the empty room, the weight of Daniel's unspoken name pressing against her like a storm she couldn't escape.