The Landers

The Landers

Valeria Zimmermann

04/17/2023

“Oliver, if you walk up on that stage and give up everything we’ve worked for you can kiss the company goodbye.”

My father wouldn’t let go of my arm. He looked furiously at me, and as he warned me that this would be the end, none of it seemed to matter to me anymore.

“Let me go dad, I’m done fighting for something I don’t believe in anymore. This. This is done. We’re done Dad.” I walked onto that stage and never looked back.

Miami was THE vacation spot. It was the city people envied. From the beaches to the tan lines, Miami had it all... until it didn’t. It was 2050 and Miami was nothing that it was before. The sandy beaches were slowly disappearing; Brickell was slowly becoming a graveyard of skyscrapers; and the energy was nothing like it was before. Within a couple of years Miami had been heavily divided by class. Climate gentrification had swept through the city and started this socio-economic division. Inlanders that once lived on the coastal areas of Miami, Florida now sought after areas like Coral Gables, Country Walk, Silver Palm, and Little Haiti, pushing lower-income communities to susceptible areas affected by sea level rise. It was always the Inlanders vs. the Outlanders and although it was never a competition of any sorts it always felt like one, and the Inlanders always had the upper hand.

But being an Inlander had its benefits. You couldn’t be an Inlander without being wealthy and in this society money talked. My father, Arthur Cunningham, was one of the most powerful and wealthy developers known in the City of In. He was the one responsible for most of the development projects that kept our city “protected”... or so I thought.

You see while I had grown to admire my dad for the power he had, I couldn’t help but notice that all the projects my father took on were always protested by environmentalist groups. You begin to wonder if maybe they were right. Maybe my father was the bad guy. But I couldn't see past the profit. In my mind, my father was always the smartest guy in the room. No one could ever possibly live up to what he was. Not even me.

I had found myself spiraling down the same path my father went down. I cared for nothing other than money and my father's company. I tried so hard to impress him all these years, but I was always an afterthought in his mind. I kept taking on more projects despite knowing the environmental consequences they brought on. Of course, I knew there were alternative solutions to the ones my company had proposed. More environmentally friendly solutions. But protecting the Inland at the expense of the outland never was a problem for me. This way of thinking, however, did not come without repercussions.

Sklyer was one of the youngest developers in the business. She was a 21-year-old developer that had made enough money to leave the Outland but never did. While she was not popular with many City In residents, the City of Out adored her. She was the community trophy child. Skyler advocated for natural infrastructure plans that would preserve the beauty of Miami and protect the City of Out. She was loyal. Although adored by many, I loathed this woman. Despite being an attractive, charismatic woman, I saw her as nothing other than deceitful. Below this act, Sklyer and I never saw eye to eye. At every meeting or conference I attended, Skyler was always in the crowd protesting the projects I presented. Many of the environmentalist groups that had always protested my father's plans have now begun to protest my plans. And I knew I would have to thank Sklyer for that.

The Universe has a funny way of working. Everywhere I went, Sklyer would already be there, or I would eventually end up bumping into her. Despite the evident animosity we both had for one another, we had to be civil to each other, our careers depended on it.

Skyler and I were both developers that sought after the same companies to fund our initiatives/projects. With sea levels projecting to rise exponentially over the next few years, Miami officials were looking for new development plans that would help protect the already sinking city. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to make profit and show my father that I was ready to take on “Cunningham INC”. It just so happened that when I walked into the meeting room early that Monday morning, Skyler was already in there setting up. As If I wasn’t stressed out enough about securing the deal, I had an added stressor: Skyler.

When I walked into the room, she greeted me with the same annoyance I had felt seeing her.

“Good morning, Oliver, or at least it was one. Are you lost?” she said.

“Skyler, I would say pleasure to see you, but I’d be lying”, she rolled her eyes at me as she continued to arrange her papers. “My question is: are you lost Skyler? Because I saw the tree hugger convention going on downstairs," I said, as I smugly placed down my briefcase on the conference table.

“Comedy never was your strong point Oliver, but I can guarantee that after today’s meeting I’ll make sure it looks like infrastructure development isn’t either," she said.

“We'll see about that.”

It seemed like everything I did always upset her. When I got up to present my plan, she made small remarks under her breath. As I went on with my presentation, her remarks got and louder and louder until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Does there seem to be a problem Mrs. Jones?”.

“Nothing I can’t address during my presentation, Mr. Cunningham. But since we’ve opened the floor, how do you think your plan differs from the ineffective project Smith & Co implemented years ago, given that your model looks the exact same?” Skyler smirked as she sat back in her seat.

Skyler knew what she was doing when she mentioned the Smith & Co project. The project that had protected the Inland but wiped out the majority of Biscayne Bay, an outlander community. While I knew my father's company had taken Smith & Co’s failed project and attempted to make it better, the projected revenue our company could make from this deal sat at the top of my father's mind and consequently mines too.

“Skyler, the tree-hugging nonsense you’re about to propose makes Smith & Co’s project look like a success, I wouldn’t steer the conversation in that direction if I were you.”

“But I--”

“May I continue my presentation Ms. Jones, or would you like to escort yourself out?”

I watched her face get cherry red out of frustration, annoyance, and anger. She gave me a quick nod before I proceeded with my presentation.

As I packed my stuff to head home after the meeting, Skyler and I were the only two left in the room.

“You didn’t have to speak to me like a child in front of the officials,” she said.

“Well, you didn’t have to bring up Smith & Co. You tried to sabotage my presentation and I frankly found it unprofessional."I grabbed my things and as I turned to leave, Skyler burst into a fit of laughter. I was confused on how she could possibly be laughing at this very moment. What was so funny? Was she laughing at me? Was she finally going crazy as I had suspected? I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Unprofessional? You have the audacity to call ME unprofessional”, she started to pace the room back and forth, “Well maybe it’s cause I’m a woman that’s smarter than you, and trust me there are many just like me, but I find it unprofessional that you come to these meetings and lie to the officials” she said.

“Skyler what are you...?”

“Do NOT interrupt me while I’m speaking. You lie and lie and lie and trick investors into wasting their money on projects that will be underwater in 5 years. But you sit there all high and mighty and call ME unprofessional?”, she said as her breath quickened. “Well let me tell you something, the next time you want to call me unprofessional, I think you should take a long hard look at yourself because although I may have grown up as an Outlander, we sure as hell are ten times the person that you are,” and with that she grabbed her stuff and left.

For the first time in weeks, I had gone a whole month without bumping into Skyler. I went from seeing her everywhere to not seeing or hearing from her. I was at peace. Over the next couple of weeks, I took the opportunity to present my development plans to the city without her presence. Miami officials had finally gotten back to me about the funding and revealed that they would be announcing which companies project they would be taking on at the Sea-Flo Climate conference which would be at Biscayne Bay. I would be on Outlander territory.

As I drove to Biscayne Bay with my father, I thought about the last time I had stepped foot on Outlander territory. It was “take your child to workday”, and he had taken me to oversee a potential project he might invest in. At the time, I was only in fifth grade and didn’t understand what my father's company did exactly, but what I do remember seeing when I got to the work site was dozens of Smith & Co equipment. The same company that built a sea wall to protect the In but not the Out. My father had seriously considered investing in a project that left thousands without a home and hundreds without a life. Smith & Co went out of business after the incident but were never charged with anything. They got off like most Inlanders do.

As the day of the conference neared so did a hurricane. Hurricane Wilma was projected to be a Category 3 hurricane by the time it hit Florida, but its path was still unclear. However, the conference was on track to happen that weekend and I needed it too. I had something to prove to myself and my father.

When I finished checking in to the hotel I headed for the elevator and that is when I saw her. It had been weeks since her outburst and we had definitely not been in contact.

“Skyler,” I said, as I nodded.

“Oliver. Mr. Cunningham. Good to see you” she said reluctantly.

I knew she was as happy to see me as I was to see her, but we were there for work, we needed to behave, especially in front of my father. As we got into the elevator, I reached to press for my floor and was greeted by her hand. Our fingers lingered there for a second and I couldn’t help but blush as I looked away. I didn’t understand why I did. I hated Skyler and she hated me. That’s how it had always been, and God forbid that changed. When we got to the floor Skyler bolted from the elevator to her room.

I did the same.

As the day went by, developing news about the hurricane had been released. It was projected to hit Miami, and it was projected to hit hard. Although hurricane Wilma had decreased to a category 2 it was made evident that we were in its trajectory.

The following night as I was working on my laptop in my hotel room, there was a knock on my door. When I opened it, there was Skyler, soaking wet from the rain. She had gotten stuck in the storm trying to take pictures of the sea walls, which she claimed to be ineffective. Skyler lost her hotel key in the process and when she tried to get a new one, the systems shut down. She was in need of a place to stay and couldn’t think of anywhere else to go to. I invited her in a gave her a warm towel and a new change of clothes.

“Skyler what were you thinking? Why would you go out there in the middle of the storm are you crazy?” I said.

“You wouldn’t understand, Oliver. I know it’s hard to understand when someone's actually passionate about something other than money,” she remarked.

“Let me remind you that you’re in MY hotel room right now wearing MY clothes,” I proclaimed.

“You’re right I’m sorry, it’s just that believe me when I say that this wasn’t my first choice,” she said.

I sighed and looked at her. She seemed sincere, and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty for being so harsh with her. We had always been at each other's throats but seeing her this vulnerable made me realize that there was more to her than just her sharp tongue and quick temper.

"It's okay, Skyler. I get it. You're passionate about your work, and I respect that," I said, trying to ease the tension between us. She looked at me with a surprised expression, as if she hadn't expected me to be understanding.

"Thanks, Oliver. That means a lot coming from you," she said, giving me a small smile.

We sat in silence for a moment, listening to the sound of the rain pounding against the windows.

“Why do you do it?” she said.

“Do what?” I asked.

“Take on these projects. I know you realize they aren’t exactly efficient and well climate friendly, so why do you do it?” she said, as she sat there with her green eyes staring fiercely at me.

“I admire him more than anyone will ever know. My father that is. I guess I’ve always wanted his approval and thought that the only way to get it was by being just like him.”

She stared at me for a second and then started to shake her head.

“You know you can be so selfish sometimes,” she went on.

Confused by her response I interrupted her, "Skyler, why are you so against me and my plans? Is it just because of my father's reputation, or is it personal?". She looked at me, surprised by my sudden question, and took a deep breath before responding.

"Oliver, I don't hate you or your father, but I hate what you represent. Your projects are destroying the environment, and you don't seem to care about the consequences. I don't want to see Miami sink, and I don't want to see people suffer. There are better, more sustainable ways to develop this city." I felt a pang of guilt and shame, realizing that Skyler was right. I had been blinded by my desire for success and recognition, and I had ignored the impact of my actions.

“You know why I never decided to move to the Inland once I had climbed up socially? Because I was afraid of becoming like one of them. Like you: an ignorant Inlander. No offense,” she said.

“None taken.”

We seemed to talk for hours as the storm was passing outside. She told me about her plan and how she had been pushing for nature-based alternatives that many other states had been using. It was brilliant actually. Her plan consisted of installing oyster reefs as a first line of defense from flooding followed by mangroves, a boardwalk, wetlands and that were more strategically placed and smaller scale seawalls. Her vision helped protect the beauty of Miami, a factor I had never really considered for my projects. As the night went on, we seemed to have fallen asleep while talking, although I'm not sure who fell asleep first. The next morning when I woke up Sklyer was gone. She had left my clothes in a nice, folded pile at the edge of the bed with a little note that read “Thank you for everything, I’m glad you were my ‘last’ option”.

I couldn’t help but feel my heart beat a little faster as I read that note. I had gravely misjudged her before last night, and now I’m glad I saw her in the light that everyone else did.

As I got ready for the conference that morning I couldn’t stop thinking about Skyler’s plan. It just made sense. It protected both communities and preserved the natural beauty of the city. The city officials would be crazy if they didn’t choose her plan.

When I made my way down to the conference center, I found my father talking to the city officials, which was never a good sign. I walked in, and my father signaled me over to join the conversation.

“Oliver! Just the man I wanted to see. Son, I’d like you to meet the city officials that are going to be announcing the company they will take on today.”

“Good morning, nice to meet you all. Father, can I speak to you for a second?” I said.

“Excuse me for a second gentlemen.” As we walked away, he said, “This better be good if you just pulled me away from the most important people here at this conference. What is it?". I just stood there, scared and nervous to talk to my own father. I was scared to tell him how I hated his plan and how I wanted to change. I wanted to tell him that I didn’t want to be the type of man that would even consider investing in a project such as Smith & Co. But as I stood there in front of my father, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I felt like a coward.

When I eventually managed to say nothing to him, my father walked away to speak to another investor. Even though my father had given me the lead on this deal, watching him work in the room was promoting a dangerous, ineffective plan. It was at that moment that I realized I wanted nothing more than to not be like him. I wanted to be better. Skyler did that for me.

It was getting closer and closer to the big announcement, and I had yet to bump into Skyler, I wanted to tell her that I was going to quit working for my dad and give up the money if the city officials had chosen my company. I was ready to expose my father for the corrupt man that he was.

As I made my way into the conference center, that’s when I saw her. She was pacing as usual and talking to herself which I can only imagine was her practicing her acceptance speech. When I walked over to her, I was greeted with a smile from her which was not a typical reaction we would have given each other days before.

“I’ve been looking for you all morning Skye, when did you get your key back?” I said.

“I woke up early this morning and headed downstairs to see if their systems were up and running again and luckily for me, they were!” she gestured emphatically.

“I just wanted to say that I had a really good time with you last night and that if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would have ever realized the monster my father is.”

“Oliver, I had a great time last night and glad you listened to my project ideas. It truly meant a lot” she said to me with a gentle smile.

“Skyler do you think there is any chance that I could work with you? I know it’s a crazy idea but after last night, I realized I was never passionate about any of the projects I worked on for my father. Your projects mean something. They have potential and are exciting. That’s more than I can say about the projects at Cunningham INC,” I said.

“What about your dad, Oliver?”

“Leave that to me Skye.”

When the city officials got on stage and announced the project, they would be taking on this upcoming year, I felt a pang in my stomach when they revealed they had chosen Cunningham INC. I sat still in my seat processing that they had said my father's name. If you had asked me a week ago how I would have reacted to the news I can guarantee that I would not have described my current reaction.

As my father nudged me to move, he said, “What are you doing you’re embarrassing me. Get up there and accept the offer.” As I stood up and looked across the room, I saw the disappointment in Skyler's eyes. A look I was familiar with. It was a look my father gave me frequently, but this time it hit me differently. I turned to my father and said looked him straight in the eye as I said, “I quit”.

“Oliver, if you walk up on that stage and give up everything we’ve worked for, you can kiss the company goodbye.”

My father wouldn’t let go of my arm. He looked furiously at me, and as he warned me that this would be the end, none of it seemed to matter to me anymore.

“Let me go dad, I’m done fighting for something I don’t believe in anymore. This. This is done. We’re done Dad.” I walked onto that stage and never looked back.


Epilogue

All my life, all I had known, all I had believed in was what my father had said and done. I had never once considered that he was the bad guy. As I stand here with Sklyer preparing to present our new development plan, I can’t help but feel my heartbeat faster. That’s what she did for me. She made me realize the man I could be and helped me become a better person. As she paced back and forth, I grabbed her hands.

“I’m nervous Oliver. I’ve never presented any of my projects in front of this many people. I didn’t even think that people cared about plans like mine,” Skyler nervously said.

“Skyler”

“Oliver”

“I admire you. I admire your passion. I admire your project and it was only a matter of time before people realized what I had come to see in you.”

The city officials that had initially chosen my father’s company to develop a new infrastructure plan for the city ended up having a change of heart after the conference. I wasn’t the only one that ended up seeing my father for who he was, which put an end to his corrupt empire. Alongside Skyler, we grew an empire that focused on protecting the city by preserving its beauty and environment.

In the end, I realized that money and power weren't everything. It was about doing what was right and working to create a better world for future generations. Miami may have changed, but it was up to us to make sure that it changed for the better.