Chapter 13 - HORIZON’S NEW OFFER
Horizon did not disappear.
Its acquisition proposal changed.
The five preservation properties remained outside.
Purchase price dropped to $421 million.
Independent trustees reviewed whether selling the operating subsidiaries still benefited Lily’s branch.
Surprisingly:
maybe yes.
Mercer Learning & Housing had aging systems and expensive debt.
Horizon could improve operations.
Employee protections became central.
Teacher-housing programs had to remain.
Tuition caps at certain vocational schools.
No immediate redevelopment of campuses.
The trust negotiated.
I had parental input.
Not veto.
Good.
Rachel asked:
“What do you think?”
“I’m still learning.”
“Excellent answer.”
I hired my own financial adviser.
Paid personally.
Not trust.
I read.
Asked stupid questions.
Learned there are fewer stupid questions than people with power claim.
Lily had no role.
She went to first grade.
Learned cursive badly.
May you like
Lost a tooth.
Those facts mattered more to her.
