Capítulo 9: Chapter 9: The App
Royce
“So, the database must be only available to Royce at the moment. Otherwise, anyone we use practice data on will be doxed immediately.”
“And how do we know he’ll remain HIPPA compliant? Not talking about or mentioning these people?”
“Because the only person Kit Steele entrusted her codes and information to was her brother. Kit believed that if anyone was going to run A Helping Hand besides her, it was Royce.”
I hated listening to lawyers argue back and forth, especially when it cut into my time working. But I had to be there, letting my lawyer speak to a HIPPA lawyer—Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act—to ensure the safety of those we worked to protect. My lawyer was also Kit’s lawyer, and it made things a lot easier for us that he knew about Kit’s will and her wishes should she die.
“Richard, I want you to understand that this is a risky app. A Helping Hand wants to have victims upload personal information and their location and give up potential anonymity.” The HIPPA lawyer was staring at his paperwork, obviously going off his notes that he probably had only a few days to go over. That’s usually how it worked.
My lawyer, Richard DeAngelo, shook his head. “The people who sign up for A Helping Hand will be running away. Domestic abuse in relationships has continued to grow. Did you know it is estimated that ten million people struggle with being in an abusive marriage or partnership a year?” He didn’t even have to read the statistics to know at this point. “Men, women, even people who don’t identify with genders are all at risk. Mr. Steele and his late sister want to save those who struggle.”
“That’s why we have hotlines. And why there are shelters!” The HIPPA lawyer argued.
“But they don’t always work.” DeAngelo shook his head, and I glanced at the clock. After almost an hour of this conversation, I was about ready to force the men to pick it up another day.
“You would rather risk abuse in multiple forms? Let Mr. Steele show you what they have built here, and then maybe judge what he has to say and show you don’t meet with your damn HIPPA laws.”
The HIPPA lawyer, whose name I had forgotten entirely, turned toward me. I wasn’t expecting to have to say anything, but that’s why I always had briefs with DeAngelo. We knew something like this was bound to happen, which is why we always kept our information up to date and knew the laws.
I launched into my speech, which I’d practiced over a dozen times, explaining that having a victim go through the app would actually lead to quicker action. It would take someone in a terrible situation and put them into contact with someone who could help them escape. An investigation would follow after the rescue, ensuring that the victim wasn’t lying.
In the end, after the victim was relocated and the assailant was taken care of, the information was stored behind several passwords—passwords that only I would possess. That was Kit’s wish: that only one person would know how to see the information, therefore making it a trustworthy system.
The lawyer nodded his head. He closed the file that was on the table in front of him and stood. Then, without a word, he held out his hand to meet mine. “If you are capable of doing everything you claim to be doing here, then you are good to go. However, I’d like Mr. DeAngelo to please keep me informed if anything changes or goes awry. Do you understand?”
“Of course,” I responded, shaking his hand with gusto.
Of course, I understood because this was important to my sister. She was a human being who was so compassionate for those in abusive situations. I loved that about her, how she wanted to make lives better. I always knew she was going to do great things.
Well, I thought she would make it to thirty.
I don’t know where her desire to help those in abusive situations came from, but I assumed she had a friend or classmate who struggled in an abusive relationship, and that’s when she decided she would take action.
Richard raised his hand as the lawyer left the conference room to stop me from doing so. “Royce, a word?”
I sat back down slowly, sinking into my chair at the head of the table. I didn’t know what Richard had to say next, and I didn’t have the patience to do so.
He sat down next to me on the left, closing his file and clasping his hands over the top of it.
“What’s going on?” I asked cautiously. “Did someone else die?”
Richard shook his head, though he did breathe out a laugh. “Not to my knowledge, Royce, no. I wanted to talk to you because this week was the anniversary, right?”
I wanted to roll my eyes. Did everyone in my life have to remind me when Kit died, like I didn’t know when I lost my sister?
Richard didn’t wait for my answer. “Are you doing okay? I’m serious. A Helping Hand is in the final phases of its development. Your beta testers will receive the app soon. You haven’t stopped working on it in years.”
“Because Kit left it all to me. I have to finish it.” I didn’t need to think about the response. It was always how I felt. Finish her legacy. Nothing else mattered to me.
“You don’t have to finish anything,” Richard said slowly. “You feel obligated to do this for your sister.”
I laughed at him, leaning back in my chair. “Didn’t know you were a therapist on top of a lawyer, Richard.” I shook my head at the man. I’d met Richard over ten years ago when Kit first began this project. She’d told Richard I’d be famous one day, creating all sorts of programs and making the family proud. “Look, you don’t have anything to worry about, okay? I’ve been working too hard on this app to lose footing.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.” Richard sighed. “Royce, your sister wouldn’t have wanted you to work yourself to the bone. She left A Helping Hand to you because she trusted you could finish her work. But she didn’t want it to consume your entire life like it did for her.”
“How do you know that?” I asked, raising my voice. “Were you there when she was in the crash? Did she tell you these words while she died?” I sprung to my feet, towering over the table and the lawyer. “All you have, Richard, is her will. All she had in there was that A Helping Hand went to me in the case of her death. She asked me to do this.”
Richard said nothing and looked at me as I stood there, breathing through my nose. “The last thing she wanted from me. She wants the app to exist.” I sighed loudly. “And that’s what I’m going to do.”
Without waiting for Richard’s response, I pushed my chair back, grabbed my things, and walked out of the conference room.
Ever since Kit died, everyone kept treating me with kid gloves. I was mourning my sister just like everyone else, but people still kept acting like I couldn’t handle her death and would crumble. I hadn’t. I dealt with it every step of the way.
I entered my office and closed the door, pulling the shade down to ensure privacy. I threw down the paperwork and took a seat at my desk, still shaking my head.
Leaning back in my chair, I looked around the office at everything I’d built. Everything I’d done for the past few years was all for Kit.
Earlier on my run, I questioned the last time I did something I wanted, and the question was still swimming in my head.
I pulled out my phone and began typing a text message.
ROYCE: Hey, it’s Royce.
CARRIGAN: I know. I saved your number.
ROYCE: Oh, right, ha-ha.
I was blowing this already.
CARRIGAN: What’s up?
ROYCE: I wanted to know if I could see you again soon? Maybe take you to dinner somewhere you don’t work?
Waiting for Carrigan to respond took a few minutes. It made me nervous, and I tried remembering the last time a woman made me nervous.
ROYCE: I understand if you aren’t interested.
I didn’t want to force her to go out with me. Just because she was the first woman I’d been attracted to in years, been on a date with, or exchanged numbers with, none of that mattered. She’d said we’d had a great time, but I guess she was just being nice.
CARRIGAN: It’s not that. I do want to, but there’s some personal stuff happening recently, and I’m dealing with that.
I understood that.
ROYCE: In the same boat. That’s why I texted you—just wanted to get my mind off reality for a second. But I do understand. Everyone has shit to deal with. I hope we can meet up again soon.
I put down my phone, disappointed. I should have known someone like Carrigan would be too good to be true. I believed she was telling me the truth, but it didn’t make the hurt any less painful.
My phone buzzed again, and curiously, I leaned over to read the text.
CARRIGAN: No, you know what? Let’s do it. Let me finish this shift, and we can discuss what to do.
ROYCE: Are you sure? I really do understand, and I don’t want you to go out because I’m asking.
CARRIGAN: I had a great time at Charm. I do want to see you again. I promise.
ROYCE: :)
I didn’t know what happened, but I wasn’t looking a gifted horse in the mouth. I smiled instead and finally woke my laptop to begin working on the app.
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