Chapter 9 - A Fresh Start
The dinner with Aunt Sarah was wonderful. We went to a nice Italian restaurant downtown—a place where I didn't have to check the prices on the menu before ordering. Emma wore her favorite dress, and Sarah showered her with early birthday gifts, making up for the chaos of the past months.
As we sat eating tiramisu, Sarah looked across the table at me.
"You look different, Jess," she said softly.
"Different how?"
"Lighter. Like you finally put down a heavy backpack you've been carrying for twenty years."
I took a sip of water, looking at Emma, who was happily drawing pictures on a paper placemat with a green crayon.
May you like
"I did," I admitted. "For a long time, I thought keeping the peace meant sacrificing my own peace. I'm done doing that."
Sarah reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "Good. Don't ever pick it back up."
