Legendary

After the children left, I called my brother.

"What's up, A?" he asked. I could hear the TV in the background.

"Not much. The kids were down, bickering, and Dick and Damian were insulting each other. It made me miss you." He burst out laughing.

"I was going to call you in the next couple of days anyway," he said, eating a potato chip.

"Do you mind not crunching in my ear?" I asked pointedly. He crunched another small chip, just to irritate me, then stopped eating.

"Well, I'm all certified as a doctor, up on all the latest tech, expanded my vision with new classes, yadda yadda, and I've just accepted a new job in the city. It's working in a clinic, there are a lot of people and not enough facilities." I nodded. "Health care is a lot better than it used to be, but there are still people who are underserved."

"Which clinic?" I asked, and jotted down the name.

"Donation time?" he asked, smiling.

"Yep. You've been officially hired, right? It won't look like I'm trying to bribe them to hire my little brother, will it?"

He bared his teeth at me. "Yeah, I've already signed the contract. Place is bursting at the seams and I'm not quite sure where they'll put me, but I start in just over two weeks."

"You want to stay with us for awhile?" I offered. "We actually have furniture for some of the guest rooms now and Alfred's got some help, so he's moving down here."

"Alfred has help? Amazing." We discussed this surprising turn of events, and J accepted my invitation.

The next morning as Damian and I showered, I told him about J, and he was pleased. He'd always gotten along well with my brother. We had one last guilty breakfast in the living room before going into the city. I was having coffee with my friends. Because the morning rush had passed, we scored the big table in the coffee shop. "So I'm just going to ask, has anybody changed her mind? No hard feelings if you have. But otherwise, I've got the contracts with me. Let's get moving on this."

"You know I'm in," said Serena, and Aslyn poked me affectionately.

"Not only am I in, but I got the news that I passed the bar this morning." Clapping and congratulations interrupted, but in the end everybody was still in. I beamed and briskly handed out everybody's packets. Each one had a pen with "Valkyrie: Adventures in Architecture" printed on them and there were little flags placed where each signature was required.

"Buy in to the partnership's delayed for a year," Dagny observed.

"It's a matter of risk," I said. "Just in case this goes south, I want you guys to be protected."

"Aw, Alex," Karen murmured, and patted my arm.

"I dropped 'Conceptualization' because it sounded pretentious and was irritating to say," I said.

"Good call," Margaret said, scrawling her signature as she made steady progress through the stack of paperwork. Other Valkyrie partners nodded.

They passed their folders to me when they'd read and signed, and I went to replenish our supply of pastries in celebration. Then after we'd all selected one, I pulled out my file, full of lists and assignments.

"Ok, Aslyn. I trust your competence absolutely, but you're also just started out as a lawyer, so if you have questions or would like some help drafting documents or whatever, I've arranged with Barkley, Tester to provide mentoring in addition to whatever you might have lined up." I passed her the cards of the two partners who'd agreed to provide the assistance. "Now, these are at the top of my list. We need a temporary office, we can't keep meeting at coffeeshops. Also, we close on the property soon, so let's hit the ground running. We need to line up an interior design firm, we need tenants. Aslyn, this is kind of in your wheelhouse, along with the HR stuff, so start thinking about how we can attract tenants to the building and who we should pursue. I do want to give my mom first crack at opening a coffeeshop there," I said, only slightly abashed.

"Oh, good," said Carol. "We stop there regularly, it's not far from my workers' complex. Best coffee in the city."

"If there any objections to this nepotism, now's the time to address it," I said, laughing but also serious. There weren't, though.

"As long as the coffee's good I don't care who provides it," Aslyn said. "Plus your mom is nice and easy to work with." She'd met my mom in our first lives but more frequently since the return.

"We were thinking about approaching Oasis to do a little grocery store," Serena said, and Aslyn nodded. Then everybody chipped in with ideas for either specific businesses or the types of stores they'd like to see. We all wanted interesting, innovative businesses in our building. Create some status and a buzz, and Mom's stores had name recognition that would help us too. Then we moved on to Dagny. She wouldn't be able to give the park her full attention until graduation, and it didn't really matter until we could get the decrepit building on the lot demolished (first priority, since it would take the least amount of effort and resources.) While we wanted to leave it open to the public, we also acknowledged that if there was vandalism or a lot of illegal activity taking place there, we'd want to build a fence and open it only during daylight. She had a rough sketch, though, using trees and bushes to subtly block off the back of the park where it opened onto the building to help keep people away from the loading docks. Flowerbeds, paths, and benches looked inviting and pretty, and trees here and there would provide shade on hot days. We discussed having a fountain.

Because getting the building renovated was the fulcrum on which everything else swung, I reported that I was prepared to request bids for the exterior and interior renovation as soon as I closed on the property The exterior mainly needed a good cleaning with some cosmetic repairs to the stone. The steps and the ornate brass doors needed more attention, but were fundamentally sound. Dagny suggested some type of planting to enhance the entrance, and I was glad to hand that off to her. The interior would require stripping to the studs; it looked like the floors were the only things that might be able to be saved, and I'd want to see what the interior designers would have to say before I made final choices on that, with input from the gang.

Aslyn tapped her stylus on the handheld she'd been using for notes. "Alex, it's not that I don't feel that I can't do this, but there's an awful lot of work to be done because we really need to jump on this. I'm going to need some help, particularly on the PR front, and to research the tenant issues. I'd prefer to focus inward, get somebody to face outward." She wouldn't meet my eyes.

"That's fine, it is a lot of work, and it's all going to be new to you," I said. "Go ahead and find somebody you'd like to work with who can kick ass and put a great face on the company."

"You look squirrelly," Karen said to her. The advantage of long-time friendship.

Aslyn stuck her tongue out. "I want to hire Martha," she said.

"My daughter or my grandma-in-law?" I asked, baffled.

"My goddaughter," she clarified.

"I didn't know she wanted to leave Wayne," I said, flummoxed.

"This is a big, exciting opportunity,"Aslyn said. "And Martha's always been drawn to a challenge. She's friendly, outgoing, and driven, and I'm certain that she could do a good job for us."

"She'd be an employee," I warned. "Valkyrie is us. We are its beating heart."

"That's a hard line," Margaret said, surprised.

I shrugged. "We're the principals of the firm, we're building it on what we can do. It's ours. I'm not saying that she--and the other employees we'll acquire--won't be offered shares if we go that route, but ownership is ours."

"I don't really think she'll have a problem with that," Aslyn said. So we had a vote. Everybody knew Martha and realized what a formidable package of abilities and knowledge she brought with her. I was the only nervous one.

"With my mom, she'll be another tenant, free to fail or succeed on her own, just like anybody. I worry about bringing my daughter in."

"She'll be working primarily with me," Aslyn pointed out. "And you know what she's capable of." So Aslyn got the ok to talk to Martha. We also decided to get a design firm in from the beginning since the shape of the building was so weird. It would be most beneficial to figure out how to divide space for retail and offices before walls actually went up, and that would help Serena with her floor plans. We zipped through everything else I had and addressed everybody else's concerns and ideas. I went home after the meeting, feeling like we were making real progress at last. Now the fun part would start.

I was home in time to take care of the furniture delivery, not feeling like Alfred should have to do that. I wanted to present his suite to him when it was all put together. The furniture that Martha had helped pick out was included in the delivery as well, and I'd stuck signs up in both rooms to show where each piece should go; that way I wasn't running up and down the stairs trying to direct traffic. I tipped the movers, and as soon as I closed the door behind them, raced to Alfred's suite to hang the towels, make the bed, and place a vase of daffodils (regard) on the recliner table. It looked nice and welcoming, I hoped. I made sure everything looked good. Eira thought so, she liked the rugs. Unlike dogs, she could see the full visible light spectrum.

Eira came with me when I went out to Mom's to talk to her about the coffeeshop. She thought that expansion into my building sounded promising and said she'd consider it. That was all I could ask, and we spent some time getting up to date before we went on to Dad's shop. He was interested in hearing about my progress too, and showed me the carcass of the desk for our library. It had just started to come together but I could tell already that I was going to love it. Then I asked if he'd do some of the pieces for my office as well as the reception desk and conference table, and he agreed, since those projects were sufficiently in the future. I wanted the best custom furniture, and that was my dad.

Then I had to race home. I'd forgotten to make sure the gas for Alfred's fireplace was turned on. The fireplaces in the individual rooms were gas, but the ones in the public rooms were gas with the option to burn actual wood in them. Perfect for Yule logs and any dead trees on the estate. I set the plate of cookies and the filled water carafe on the bedside table just as Damian got home early.

"You did a great job, Sweet pea," he said, looking around and giving me a squeeze. "Alfred's going to love it." We went up to the mansion and asked if Alfred had the time to look at his new quarters.

"Of course, Miss Alex," he said, and accompanied us down the road. Frank launched himself at Alfred the moment we walked through the door and Alfred calmly detached the kitten from his trousers, tucking him under his arm as we walked down the hall to the suite. I opened the door and stepped back.

"My word," he said, stepping inside and looking around. "This is wonderful, Miss Alex." I put my head on Damian's shoulder and his arm went around my shoulder as we watched him explore. Eira herded him to the bathroom to check things out.

"I wasn't sure whether you'd want a desk or not," I said. "There's room for one if you'd like a personal desk."

"We can get you one or there are several in the attic," Damian added. "There's the one in office off the butler's pantry, but you may like another one."

"No, this will more than suffice for my needs," Alfred said.

"Yes, but what about your wants?" Damian pushed. "We want to make sure you're happy here. You're an important part of our family." Alfred blinked rapidly.

"Thank you, Master Damian." He cleared his throat. "I will be quite happy here."

"If you'd like different colors for anything, let me know," I said at the same Damian said, "You can adjust the wall colors here." He flipped open the discreet cover on the controls.

"Everything is lovely," Alfred said, and smiled at us. "Alan is a quick study, so it shouldn't take long to get him trained up to standard and I can focus more of my attention down here." He sounded pleased.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that J will be moving back. I told him he could stay here until he finds housing. It might be awhile, the market being as tight as ever," I said to Alfred.

"Excellent," Alfred said. "It will be a pleasure to see Master Jaimez again. Alan is preparing the dinner this evening, if you'd like to join the rest of the family." We were interested in seeing how he did things and said we'd be there. "Excellent," he said again. "Soon I'll have things running properly here." We walked out and unexpectedly Alfred beeped Damian's nose like he was a boy. "No more eating in the living areas."

Busted.

Alfred returned to the main house and we retreated upstairs, taking advantage of our unusual presence here in the afternoon with no agenda. Damian flipped over and put me on top. "Sweet pea, I know we've got one of the bedrooms fixed up, but that bed is a little dainty for a guy."

"Ok, then you can go shopping. They must be tired of me by now," I said concisely. He grunted.

"If you come with me, I'll buy you lunch," he bargained, and I laughed, the sound modulating to a purr as his hands did wonderful things. "How did the meeting go?"

"Really well," I said, starting to move faster. "Everybody signed. Talked to Mom about the coffeeshop and Dad about furniture. Oh. Don't stop doing that, my darling. We got some rough time tables and stuff done. Also Aslyn wants to hire Martha."

Damian stopped. "What?" I wiggled insistently and got his focus back.

"They had lunch the other day, Aslyn thinks Martha wants a new challenge," I said briefly.

Damian focused on us after that and held further questions until I had regretfully released him. He sat up, holding me to him and resettling me on his legs, stroking my back. "I didn't know she was bored. Has she talked to Daniel?"

"I don't know," I sighed, snuggling. "I don't know whether I should talk to him or not. I don't want him to be upset, but this is really between him and Martha. Although it isn't, because Martha will be working for my company."

"Employee?" he said, nibbling kisses on my shoulder. I sighed with pleasure and nodded. "Let Martha deal with it," he advised. "It's up to her to decide where she wants to work. You can talk to him after." We hurried up to get ready for dinner and arrived in time for drinks. Alfred was manning the bar while Alan put the finishing touches on dinner.

We were chatting, catching up on everybody's days when the smoke alarm went off. Alfred quietly placed the tongs next to the ice bucket, handed Xander his beverage, and glided off to the kitchen.

We had soup, salad, and sandwiches for dinner. They were delicious, though, a little different from what Alfred would prepare.

Afterward, I saw Martha and Daniel exit the library. I nudged Damian and we exchanged a look. Then Damian got into the conversation his dad and Mark were having, and Martha and Thomas asked me about J's arrival and job. When Martha came back, she seemed calm but excited. Daniel looked rueful. I grabbed some cookies and ambled over.

"So I guess you heard about Martha," he said, accepting one.

"Aslyn said she wanted to hire her, I haven't talked with Martha about it."

"Well, I'm disappointed she's leaving, but I understand the lure of a new business. It'll let her stretch her abilities, and it's not like she's going over to the competition. You don't seem too keen, though, Grandma."

I sighed. "It would be different if she answered an ad or something, I guess. Martha has so many advantages already, and this one was kind of just handed to her. I'm worried that I'm surrounding myself with too many of my family and friends, not looking at other talent. At the same time, Aslyn needs someone she can work with and Martha is talented and capable."

"I think those are valid concerns," he acknowledged. "But you'll have other positions to fill and you're running out of family members." I laughed. "Martha won't be quitting tomorrow and leaving me in the lurch, so it won't be really disruptive. I already have a replacement in mind. Martha is excellent at what she does, but like you, I like to keep my eyes open for talent and a new perspective. I think we'll both do well with this. And Martha will certainly bring a lot of flair and style to her work." He brightened. "I hear Tony's got a few patents pending on things for your business, Grandma. We're talking about a manufacturing proposition. I understand that it's for your exclusive use?"

"Well, at least until word gets out and people start working on knockoffs. Once industry rumors start up that somebody's fairly well along the path of replicating them, we'll release it so everybody can use it. By then it will have served its purpose, which is to draw attention to my business and Tony's." We chatted about that; the goal was for everybody to come out on top with these things.

Damian and I were sitting in the living room eating cookies (which Alfred did allow) and laughing about dinner. I'd never known Alfred to burn anything, and Damian couldn't remember an incident. "Alan's a good baker, but he's got a ways to go on the cooking front," was Damian's assessment.

"Indeed, Master Damian," Alfred said, passing by with a valise. "Master Daniel is sending him to cooking school. I will also be attending a few classes to brush up on my skills and try a few new things."

I exchanged a surprised look with my husband. "I can't imagine that your work needs improvement," I said, and Alfred smiled.

"How kind of you to say so, Miss Alex. But as you yourself know, continuing education is important. I can assure you that it will not interfere with the running of this household."

"If you need time, take it," Damian said. "You never take enough personal time, and we can arrange things." Alfred nodded.

"Thank you, Master Damian," he said, and continued on his way to get settled in. Eira got up and accompanied him down the hall to help. The kittens trailed after her. We weren't abandoned for long, though. Martha came down to talk.

"I don't think you're that thrilled that Aslyn wants to hire me," she said.

"It's not the quality of your work that I worry about," I said.

She nodded. "I kind of weaseled my way into this," she acknowledged. "And it's not that I'm not grateful to Daniel for the opportunity to work for him, the opportunity to manage the London branch. But I've been a manager for most of my lives, did HR in the underworld, and I'd like a new challenge. I'm good at sales, and I'm very winsome." She smiled brightly, and her father and I smiled in return. The smile faded. "But I'm ready to leave London. I liked being able to see more of Grandma and Grandpa, but there was this guy... It didn't work out. So I want to come home. Be something other than just a Wayne. It's not that it's not a great family, it's just..."

"That it's nice to be known for your own work," Damian said, nodding.

"When you put it like that..." I sighed. "Well, honey, Aslyn wants you and it's important that she has someone to work with who is comfortable, and I want to give her the tools she needs. So apparently, you're one of those tools. But you'll be just an employee," I warned.

"That's fine," she said eagerly. "I've run things a lot, I want at least a break from that. I might split off and form my own PR firm down the road if it's something I like enough," she warned, and I smiled.

"Or we could fire you for ineptitude," I said and we all laughed. "We'll cross that bridge if we come to it. Uncle J has gotten a job in the city and is going to be moving back, staying here for a while. We're going to pick out furniture for the other guest room this weekend. Wanna come shopping with us?" She agreed eagerly, and we made plans. She'd be returning to London to wind down her employment there on Sunday, so Saturday it was.

We had a good time shopping, going to a few different places, then hitting the attic again for a desk when we couldn't find one we liked. Alfred assured us that the closet would be ready for J's arrival; it was partly done already.

The next week, Aslyn had found us an office suite to use until the Valkyrie building was up and running. We all had small offices and there was a small kitchen and a more generous meeting room.

Not long after that, I closed on the buildings and hot-footed it right on over, carrying the master key. I wanted to go inside by myself, this first time. It was a big deal for me. I stood in the ground floor by the shabby staircase and didn't see the dust and decay and general decrepitude; I saw a rich, Art Deco-inflected lobby, warm wood, golden accents. Accessible and welcoming but grand. The doors for the lift (and it was old-fashioned enough to deserve that title rather than elevator) were splendid. I walked to the back of the building to look at the ugly, crumbling building behind, but I didn't see it. I saw Dagny's trees and heard the burble of the fountain. I wandered around some, hiking to the top. The little room crowning the building had some smashed windows and there was some pigeon poop inside, but the view was nice, and when it was all cleaned up, it would be lovely. I signed with pleasure, again seeing the possibilities, and called Aslyn.

"I've got the building, I'm here, and it's horrible. Let's get those requests for proposals out immediately."

Aslyn burst out laughing. The RFPs were ready, of course, and she emailed them with one swipe of her finger on her screen. Then she asked if she could see the inside too, and I told her to bring anybody who was around.

They showed up with a bottle of sparkling wine, which we passed around because nobody had wanted to bring glasses up nine flights of stairs. "This is going to be amazing," Serena said. "Once we get the bird poop out. And the windows fixed. And the mold gone. And someplace nice to sit. And--"

"We get the idea," Karen said, snickering and passing the bottle.

"It is dismal," Aslyn agreed. "But it's ours, and we're going to make it spectacular."

"Cheers," I said, and took a drink.