Chapter 10 - Cameron’s Father Loses the ContractMercer Technical lost Westbridge.
Not temporarily.
Permanently.
The district terminated the contract for failure to disclose material hardware concerns during the earlier inspection.
Daniel did not challenge the decision.
Aaron wanted to.
Daniel refused.
“We failed them.”
“We didn’t supply the devices.”
“No.”
“We didn’t approve them.”
“No.”
“We inspected.”
“And then softened the report.”
Aaron looked away.
Thirty percent of revenue disappeared in one letter.
Daniel called eight employees into the workshop.
Cameron sat in the office with Laura.
Daniel told them the truth.
Not every investigative detail.
Enough.
“We may need to reduce hours.”
A technician named Luis asked:
“Are we closing?”
“I don’t know.”
Another employee looked at Aaron.
“Did you take money?”
Aaron answered:
“Yes.”
Nobody moved.
“I took consulting payments from the supplier outside the company.”
Luis swore.
Aaron continued.
“I’m cooperating. I am sorry.”
One employee walked out.
Another started crying.
This was consequence.
Not headlines.
People who had nothing to do with Aaron’s choice wondering whether they could pay rent.
Cameron hated him for that.
Later, he found Daniel sitting alone beside a stack of unused routers.
“Are you mad at me?”
Daniel looked stunned.
“For what?”
“If I didn’t call—”
“No.”
“We wouldn’t have—”
“Cameron.”
Daniel stood.
“Never finish that sentence.”
Cameron’s eyes burned.
“We could lose everything.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re okay?”
“No.”
Daniel laughed once.
“I’m terrified.”
Cameron had rarely heard his father say that word.
Daniel continued.
“But I was terrified two years ago too.”
He pointed toward the workshop.
“That fear helped me make the wrong decision.”
“So what happens?”
“We do it differently.”
Daniel sold company equipment they no longer needed.
He cut his own salary.
Aaron took no salary at all.
They contacted private clients.
Small businesses.
Churches.
Medical offices.
A neighboring district agreed to keep Mercer Technical eligible after reviewing Daniel’s cooperation.
Not salvation.
A chance.
At home, Laura quietly canceled a planned vacation.
Cameron noticed.
“I’m sorry.”
She put down the grocery list.
“For what?”
“The trip.”
“You didn’t cancel it.”
“Everything changed because—”
She touched his uninjured cheek.
“Everything changed because adults made bad choices.”
He looked at her.
“You are allowed to be the kid in this family.”
That night, Cameron realized he had been carrying responsibility that did not belong to him.
Mrs. Donovan’s slap.
Daniel’s old report.
Aaron’s side money.
Eric’s contracts.
Vance’s answer sheet.
None of those began when Cameron pressed 9-1-1.
May you like
The call did not create the fire.
It turned on the alarm.
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