For Kendall's eighth birthday party, Connor arrives to find his father's house converted into a kind of theme park. In the back yard, Kendall is sitting on an actual throne, Roman and Siobhan at his feet. The twins are a few months off their fifth birthday.
"Connor!" yells Roman, jumping up and running at him. Connor catches him in his arms. Siobhan comes running over too. Connor takes her hand and leads her back over to Kendall.
"Happy birthday, Kenny," he says, bending down to kiss his forehead.
"Did you bring me a present?"
"I sure did. I gave it to your mom."
"I have to tell you a secret," Kendall says excitedly. Connor leans in so Kendall can whisper to him. "Dad says I'm going to take over Waystar when I'm older."
Connor's heart sinks hearing these words. Their father had promised the same thing to him, when he wasn't much older than Kendall.
"That's great, buddy."
"How come you don't have a job?" Kendall looks at him curiously.
"Well, I don't really need to work. I got a lot of money, when my mom passed."
Kendall brushes over Connor's mother's suicide with innocent childlike insensitivity. "But aren't you bored?" Connor can see he's going to be a workaholic, just like his dad.
"Well, I have a lot of hobbies. And I do research, into things like cryogenics."
"What's that?"
Connor launches into a complicated explanation of cryogenics, which he can see is going over his brother's head. "Anyway," he concludes. "When you run Waystar, maybe you can give me a job."
"Yeah!" Kendall brightens. "You can come and work for me. Roman and Shiv too."
"I don't wanna work for you!" Shiv yells, overhearing.
"You're just jealous," says Kendall. "Because I'm the most important one."
Connor opens his mouth to reprimand him, then decides to let it slide as it's his birthday. Kind of.
"Wanna come and open your gift?" he asks.
"Yeah!" Kendall jumps up and follows him, Roman and Shiv trailing behind.
The gift is a pile of wood, which is carefully stacked inside the door, a blue ribbon tied around it.
"What is it?" asks Kendall, puzzled.
"It's wood from my ranch, to build a treehouse," says Connor. "Pop said I could. We can build it together." Roman and Shiv look excited.
"Cool!" says Kendall. "Can we start now?"
"Let's do it after the party."
They do start building it after the party, Roman and Shiv watching on. Unlike their father, Connor keeps his promises.