Chapter 16
The Women Who Stayed
The morning after Theo left, forty-seven women arrived with food, extension leads, and no interest in Nora's heartbreak.
Choir members called donors. Mothers redesigned the childcare plan. Esme turned her radio show over to renters. Lena filmed Priya arguing that the Lantern had survived because unpaid women kept translating chaos into schedules.
Nora did not lead every table. That was the hardest contribution she made.
Cal reviewed the demolition permit and found a false statement: the west egress was listed as permanently sealed. Their test had already proved otherwise.
"Who certified it?" Priya asked.
"Theo's old registration number. Filed yesterday."
Malcolm had used his brother's credentials after revoking access.
Nora sent the evidence to the licensing board without calling Theo first. His reputation was his to defend; the permit was hers to stop.
Lena packed camera equipment for Toronto between interviews.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
Nora almost answered for Lena's comfort. "No. But I am not changing the plan because of it."
The truth was small and sufficient.
At noon the licensing board suspended the permit for forty-eight hours and summoned Theo to verify the signature.
He could save the Lantern by accusing his brother of professional fraud - and destroy the firm pensions with the same statement.