Chapter 8 - Rising from the Ashes
A year after the wedding, my life was unrecognizable. I had been promoted to Regional Director at Eleanor's firm. Leo was thriving; he had joined a local baseball league, and I was the team mom who brought the best snacks. He laughed louder, smiled wider, and no longer asked about Uncle Liam. He had realized he didn't need a male role model who wouldn't stand up for him. He had himself, and he had me.
We were a team.
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I had also started dating. Mark was a kind, steady man who taught high school history. When I eventually told him the story of the wedding, he didn't laugh or look at me with pity. He just pulled me close and said, "Leo is a brave kid. He gets it from you."
For the first time in my life, I wasn't waiting for the other shoe to drop. I wasn't waiting for a snide comment or a cruel joke. I was simply living.
