Chapter 7 - Building Bridges
Rebuilding a broken family takes time, but small steps yield big changes.
Over the next year, Karen took a full-time job at a local logistics firm—a modest, steady job far removed from the glamorous social circles she used to chase. She moved into a modest two-bedroom apartment, enrolled in financial counseling, and began attending family therapy sessions with Lily and Mason. Mitch, after months of court battles, agreed to a structured custody arrangement and finally began addressing his alcohol dependency.
Lily excelled in her senior year of high school, earning a partial scholarship to a state university to study social work. Mason’s health improved dramatically once his routines became stable and stress-free.
And through it all, Owen continued to work on his designs.
The day of the Ohio Statewide High School STEM and Design Expo arrived. The grand exhibition hall in Columbus was packed with students, teachers, parents, and industry professionals. Hundreds of projects were displayed on long rows of tables.
Owen was terrified. His hands trembled violently as he set up his laptop, his physical architectural model, and his presentation board.
"It's too loud, Mom," he whispered, looking around at the bustling crowd.
May you like
"Take a deep breath, Owen," I whispered back, holding his hands steadily. "You don't have to talk to everyone. Just talk to the judges when they come by. You know your work better than anyone."
Just then, I heard familiar footsteps behind us.
