The Career I Thought I Had Lost
Chapter 18 - The Career I Thought I Had Lost
Six months after the gala, I was offered my position back.
I didn't accept immediately.
That surprised everyone.
For twenty-two years, my career had been the center of my identity.
District Attorney Evelyn Mercer.
Strong.
Controlled.
Certain.
But certainty had almost cost me my sister.
I eventually returned under one condition.
I wanted to establish an independent review unit for cases involving questionable financial prosecutions and conflicts of interest.
The first person I hired was someone who had publicly criticized me during Richard's scandal.
My old self would have considered that impossible.
My new self considered it necessary.
Caroline started working with a nonprofit helping women rebuild their finances after coercive relationships.
She didn't call herself brave.
Brave people rarely do.
Lucy started third grade.
Her teacher said she was stubborn.
Caroline blamed me.
I blamed genetics.
On the anniversary of our mother's death, we visited her grave together for the first time.
Caroline placed flowers down.
"I was so angry at you, Mom."
I understood.
Our mother had been manipulated too.
But she had also made mistakes.
So had we.
Love didn't require pretending otherwise.
Before leaving, Lucy placed the old photograph beside the flowers.
I picked it up.
"You don't want to leave this here."
She shook her head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it's ours."
She slipped it back into her coat pocket.
And I realized she was right.
The photograph was no longer evidence of what had been lost.
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It was proof that before Richard's lies, there had been love.
And after the lies, somehow, there was love again.
