Disciplined.
Driven.
She had built her own career in commercial real estate instead of joining Sterling Capital directly.
Theodore admired that.
He admired less the armor she had acquired along the way.
Victoria had spent twenty years in rooms where men underestimated her until they learned not to.
She had responded by becoming extremely good at detecting weakness.
The problem was that, over time, she had begun treating ordinary vulnerability like weakness too.
Dinner that Tuesday was roast chicken, potatoes and green beans.
Victoria mentioned Callaway Auto somewhere between the potatoes and dessert.
Not as confession.
As complaint.
“My morning was ridiculous.”
Theodore looked up.
“What happened?”
“Car problem.”
“Which car?”
“The SUV.”
“What kind?”
“Brake noise.”
“You got it fixed?”
“Yes.”
“Then how was it ridiculous?”
Victoria took a sip of wine.
“The mechanic tried to charge me two hundred dollars for essentially nothing.”
Theodore placed his fork down.
“What did he do?”
“Brake hose. Tightened some heat shield.”
“How much?”
“One ninety-nine.”
“That doesn’t sound extraordinary.”
Victoria frowned.
“For fifty minutes?”
“Did he tell you the price first?”
“He threw out a number.”
Theodore watched her.
“What number?”
She paused.
“One ninety-nine.”
“So he charged what he quoted.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“What is?”
“The work wasn’t worth that.”
“How do you know?”
Victoria stared.
“I’m capable of looking up a part.”
“That was not my question.”
She leaned back.
“You’re taking his side.”
“I don’t have a side.”
“You clearly do.”
“I’ve asked three questions.”
“That’s how you do it.”
“Do what?”
“Make people defend themselves until you can pretend you never criticized them.”
Theodore almost smiled.
“That sounds useful.”
“Dad.”
He lifted his water glass.
“Did the car work after?”
Victoria stopped.
“What?”
“After he repaired it.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it isn’t.”
“The brake problem?”
“Gone.”
“The noise?”
“Gone.”
Theodore nodded.
“So the repair worked.”
Victoria said nothing.
“Did you pay him?”
Silence.
Theodore’s eyes changed.
“Victoria.”
“I disputed the bill.”
“That was not my question.”
“No.”
He waited.
She looked irritated.
“I left.”
“Without paying.”
“Yes.”
Theodore leaned back.
“Did he threaten you?”
“No.”
“Insult you?”
“No.”
“Change the price?”
“No.”
“Do work you didn’t know about?”
“He inflated the labor.”
“You agreed to the quote?”
“I stayed while he worked.”
“That sounds like yes.”
Victoria pushed her plate away.
“You weren’t there.”
“No.”
“Then don’t lecture me.”
“I haven’t.”
“You’re doing it silently.”
Theodore considered that.