4:21 PM

"I don't think I want to join the company."

His son said it carefully.

As though placing something breakable on the table.

He nodded.

"Okay."

"I've been thinking about it for a while."

"Okay."

"I know everyone assumes—"

"You don't owe the company anything."

His son looked relieved.

He meant it.

Mostly.

They talked for another hour.

His son wanted to work in a completely different industry.

Start near the bottom.

Make his own mistakes.

He told him that was a good thing.

At the lift, they hugged.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Always."

Back in his office, he closed the door.

There was a document on his desktop.

Succession Planning — Draft 4

He opened it.

The first heading was:

Family

The cursor blinked underneath it.