Chapter 15 - Moving Forward
That evening, Dad and I sat on the back porch, watching the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant strokes of orange and purple. A cool breeze rustled the oak trees in the backyard.
"Pre-law, huh?" Dad asked, sipping his iced tea. "You didn't tell me you decided on a major."
"I decided during the trial," I admitted, stretching my legs out. The dull ache in my spine was manageable today. "Watching Ms. Davis dismantle Evelyn... it made me realize how important it is to have someone fight for you when you can't fight for yourself. I want to be that person for someone else."
Dad reached over and squeezed my shoulder. "You're going to be incredible at it. You're the strongest person I know."
"I learned it the hard way," I smiled softly.
"I know," he said, his voice carrying the lingering trace of his old guilt. "I will spend the rest of my life making sure you know I've got your back."
"I know you do, Dad. I know."
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The kitchen behind us was dark and quiet, a stark contrast to the violence it once held. The trauma of that morning would always be a part of my story—a scar carried on my spine and in my memories. But it no longer defined me.
Evelyn was in a cell, trapped by her own malice. I was free. I stood up from the porch swing, my legs strong and steady beneath me, and walked into the house to start packing for college. The past was finally behind me, and the rest of my life was just beginning.
