Chapter 10: The Confession by Firelight
That night, they lit a fire in the hearth using the dead branches cleared from the backyard garden.
The four of them sat around the living room, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes and the comforting glow of the flames.
Amanda held a mug of cider, staring into the embers. ""I quit my firm this afternoon,"" she announced abruptly.
Arthur looked up, surprised. ""Amanda... you were on track for senior partnership.""
""Senior partnership in what, Uncle Arthur?"" Amanda asked with a hollow laugh. ""Liquidating legacy companies to build luxury condominiums that nobody can afford? I spent ten years chasing a title because I thought having power meant I would never feel vulnerable again. But looking at Mom standing in that doorway yesterday... I realized I was just running away from the reality that I didn't know how to love anyone without a contract.""
Helena watched her daughter across the hearth. ""What will you do?""
""I don't know,"" Amanda said honestly. ""Maybe I’ll open a small consulting practice here in town. Maybe I’ll teach business ethics at the community college. But I'm not getting on that plane back to Chicago.""
David set down his mug. ""I resigned from the country club board this morning. I’m moving my architectural practice back to Dad’s old downtown studio.""
May you like
Helena leaned back against the cushions. For the first time in a decade, the suffocating tension in her chest loosened, replaced by the deep, quiet rhythm of a family finally breathing together.
---
