Chapter 9 - A New Beginning
Two days later, I was sitting on the balcony of my brand new luxury condominium in sunny Florida.
The warm ocean breeze completely swept away the bitter chill of the northern winter.
I took a sip of my iced tea and looked out over the sparkling blue water of the resort's private beach.
I had completely changed my phone number, my email address, and my social media accounts.
I was an absolute ghost to the woman who used to call me her mother.
My brother Arthur called me that afternoon to check in on my massive transition.
"You look ten years younger, Maggie," Arthur laughed through the video call screen.
"I feel twenty years younger, Arthur," I replied truthfully, smiling a genuine, relaxed smile.
"I have news about Clara, though you might not want to hear it," he said cautiously.
"I don't care what she is doing, but if it affects the family, tell me," I allowed.
"David officially filed for divorce yesterday," Arthur revealed, shaking his head.
"The bank foreclosed on their house because she had completely drained their savings on luxury vacations and designer clothes."
"She is currently living on a friend's couch and blaming everyone in the world but herself."
I felt a brief, fleeting pang of sadness for the little girl she used to be.
But the grown woman she chose to become deserved absolutely every ounce of misery she was currently experiencing.
"She made her bed, Arthur, and now she has to sleep in it," I said firmly.
"I am going to a wine tasting event at the clubhouse tonight, and I am not going to spend one minute thinking about her."
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I hung up the phone and walked back inside my beautiful, peaceful, entirely quiet home.
This was my absolute sanctuary, and no one was ever going to disturb my peace again.
