He's sketching a flowchart. Send help.
The easy back-and-forth makes a quiet warmth unfurl in my chest. This new dynamic between us, teammates instead of adversaries, feels like coming home after a long, cold journey.
The barn door opens with Savvy's characteristic flourish. She strides in, looking prepared to conquer the world, arms full of equipment bags and her expression set in focused determination.
"Ready to take on Mrs. Patterson's character assassination through the power of positive press?" she asks, setting down her gear.
"More than ready," I reply, standing to help her. "What's our first move?"
"Media blitz." She pulls out a tablet, scrolling through a meticulously-planned schedule. "I've got calls lined up for the regional paper, two local TV stations, and a freelance journalist who covers community interest stories for the Times Union.We're positioning the legal clinics as part of a larger narrative about River Bend's renaissance."
"Brilliant."
I watch with quiet pride as Savvy orchestrates the transformation of her mobile barn system into a media-ready interview space. The consulting area, set up for private client chats, becomes a hub of creative energy. Savvy rolls the sleek consultation desk, its reclaimed wood surface gleaming, across the polished concrete floor, positioning it to catch the late afternoon light. The heavy-duty casters glide effortlessly, making the bulky desk feel almost weightless.
Lighting equipment, normally stowed in compact rolling carts, is next. Savvy unlocks the brakes, adjusts the telescoping arms, and angles the boxes just so, meticulously eliminating shadows and maximizing the warm, inviting glow. I feel a familiar thrill, seeing her vision for a multipurpose, mobile workspace come to life with such fluidity.
Fabric storage towers, once used to transport oversized floral arrangements and display backdrops, are repurposed. Their sturdy steel frames unfold, and Savvy clips on panels of crisp, neutral linen, instantly creating a clean, camera-ready background. Everything moves smoothly, every piece designed to lock securely into place once repositioned.
Savvy works with quiet efficiency, but her appreciative glance tells me she recognizes the ingenuity of the system. My heart swells with satisfaction. Every detail has been planned for moments like this. The reinforced wheels, the modular design, the seamless transitions.
Within minutes, the barn's consulting area has become a polished interview set. I know that, whether for client meetings or high-profile media, her mobile setup delivers flexibility and professionalism. Watching Savvy use it so expertly, I can't helpbut feel both proud and deeply connected to her work and to the team that made it all possible.
"What's the angle?"
"Community investment. Mason and Henry aren't outsiders swooping in. They're neighbors establishing roots, showing their commitment to River Bend's future." She adjusts the lighting, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes the barn look like the heart of small-town America. "The legal clinics aren't charity, they're partnership. A way of saying 'we're here, we're staying, and we're invested in your success.'"
My phone rings. Jennifer Clark from the Hudson Valley Herald. I put her on speaker as Savvy makes final adjustments to our setup.
"Ms.?"
"Call me Maddy."
"Okay, Maddy. I understand you're organizing a community festival that's generating quite a bit of interest."
"That's right," I say, settling into interview mode. "River Bend Builds is about celebrating everything our community is creating, new businesses, new families, new possibilities. The Morrison Center is one example of the exciting development happening here."
"And the legal clinics? How do they fit into this narrative?"
Savvy gives me an encouraging nod from behind the camera she's positioning.
"Mason Kincaid and Henry Kingston are offering free estate planning services because they understand that a thriving community needs strong foundations," I explain. "Sometimes that's infrastructure, sometimes it's making sure families are legally protected. They're not investing in River Bend's buildings. They're investing in its people."
The interview continues for twenty minutes, Jennifer asking thoughtful questions about everything. By the end, I can tell she's genuinely intrigued by the story we're telling.
After we hang up, Savvy grins at me. "Perfect. You hit every key point without sounding rehearsed."
"Years of proposal pitches," I reply. "Same skills, different stakes."
My phone buzzes with another text from Mason.
Mason
Mrs. Kitts wants to draft a trust for her prize-winning pumpkins. Seriously.
I laugh, showing Savvy the message. "See? This is what we need. Real stories, human moments."
"Speaking of human moments," Savvy says, shifting to a more knowing tone, "you and Mason seem to have worked out your differences."
