in's

't sleep

the darkness of our bedroom. "The Peterson thing?"

ou know I

weight of the world is on your shoulders." She turned to face me, her eyes adjusting to

my hair. "I think Maurice and I might be heading in diffe

erson co

ighteen-hour days, ramen noodles, and the constant uncertainty of startup life. "When we started TechVision, we had this vision-no pu

d n

sing personal information that has nothing to do with business opera

sion serious. "What kind

on their customers that go way beyond purchasing habits." I felt the familiar knot in my stomach. "They're talking abou

llegal, i

legal. But the terms of service are buried in fifty pages of legal jargon that n

moment, processing. "And

about how this could make us one of the major players in the industry ov

." She stopped herself, but

ys was, and I just didn't see it. Or maybe succes

tory system for Mrs. Chen's grocery store because she couldn't afford to pay us. You're the same man who insists o

is right, and this is just how business work

coming something yo

n me at my worst and still believed in me. "W

children and tell them I'm proud of the work I do? Ca

blow. That was Elena-cutting through all the

he answer to that

ow what you

s. "It might mean the end of TechVision. At

hat's what ne

ll our savings, all our dreams wrapped up in this company. If I p

rself. And maybe, just maybe, you'll

What if this des

What if Maurice is just lost right now, caught up in the excitement of

ersion of our software. The man who'd talked me through my father's death, who'd been my best man at our wedding. The man who'

there? The Maurice I st

scared and make bad choices. The question is whether you're going to let

for him means l

build. We'll re

an who'd watched me risk everything on a dream, who'd supported me through every setbac

calling tomorrow for ou

ou going to

r their project. And then I'm going to tell Maurice that if he wan

're

their operations, about the customers who'd sent us thank-you notes for making their lives ea

m s

ation with Maurice would change everything. I could feel it in my bones,

deep and even. But I stayed awake, staring at the ceiling, wo

t importan

lked to Peterson. They're willing to increase the offe

t more money. Enough to set us up for life, to guarantee

o do was se

ver came. By morning, I knew exactly what I had to do.

would still be my fr