Chapter 10 - The Harvest
Six months later, the karma that had been brewing finally boiled over.
I was at the grocery store when my phone buzzed with a text from Aunt Susan.
"Chloe's husband filed for divorce," the message read.
Apparently, the incident with the $2,100 bill had opened his eyes to her massive financial lies.
He had started digging into their accounts and found out she had been hiding thousands of dollars in credit card debt.
When he confronted her, she threw a massive tantrum, and he finally walked out.
I read the text while standing in the produce aisle, holding a bag of apples.
I didn't feel joy at her misery, but I didn't feel pity, either.
I just felt profound indifference.
She had finally burned down the last bridge that was holding her up.
Later that same week, my phone rang with an unknown number.
I let it go to voicemail, but when the transcript popped up, I recognized the voice immediately.
It was my dad.
"Sarah, it's Dad," the transcript read.
"Chloe is moving back in with me, and things are very difficult right now."
"I miss you and the twins, and I was hoping we could meet for coffee and put the past behind us."
"Family needs to stick together in hard times."
I stared at the screen for a long time, listening to the desperate, lonely tone of his voice in my head.
He didn't miss me.
He missed his emotional punching bag, his reliable scapegoat, his designated peacekeeper.
He wanted me to come back and absorb Chloe's toxicity so he wouldn't have to deal with it alone.
I pressed the delete button on the voicemail.
I didn't block the number, because I wanted him to hear the endless ringing every time he tried to call.
I wanted him to understand that the door was not locked; it simply did not exist anymore.
I put my phone back in my pocket and walked out to the backyard.
Leo and Emma were chasing the dog through the sprinklers, their laughter echoing through the warm summer air.
I sat down on the patio chair, right next to the beautiful, imperfect terracotta planter.
May you like
I closed my eyes, turned my face up to the sun, and smiled.
The storm was over, and I had finally found my peace.
