I was carrying the last box of paint when the city called to say the lease terms had changed.
The relocation agreement now included a written right of return, subject to a final inspection and a separate vote after construction. It was not a guarantee that Harbor House would come back. It was a guarantee that the city would have to ask us before sending us elsewhere.
I set the box down on the floor of our temporary studio and read the email again.
Ruth stood beside me. "Is that good news?"
"It's better than it was."
"Does it mean we won?"
"No."
She gave me a tired smile. "Then we keep going."
We signed the agreement the next afternoon. The new studio had lower ceilings, one small window, and no direct view of the harbor. The children liked the painted floor. The staff liked that th
