Page 35 of About That One Night
Lily links her arm through mine as we head inside. “I know it’s hard to live with our parents, but you could’ve stayed with us until the lease was over.”
I wave a hand and shake my head. “I appreciate your hospitality, but Mom wouldn’t have loved it. She was always protesting when I left her place to stay with you. I really can’t continue listening to that.”
She sighs, “You’re right. Mom can be a lot sometimes, but I love her.”
“Love her too, and now that I’m out, I can make her believe I’m living the dream,” I say with adeadpan expression, but I can’t quite mask the excitement bubbling beneath the surface. This might not be the life I planned, but it’s mine. And for the first time in years, I feel a spark of something that seems suspiciously like hope.
Of course, my sister—and my family in general—thinks this move is reckless and rash. Mom still thinks that I could’ve tried to fix my relationship and compromise, but could I really compromise? I want more from my career, my life. To make a real difference, not just chase prestige and partnership. Most of all, I want a man who loves me unconditionally and wants the same family I do.
Lily’s expression softens. “I get it, I do. It’s just . . . a big leap.”
“If you recall, I was pretty supportive about your midlife crisis,” I remind her. “It wasn’t easy to let my sister go on a road trip with a dangerous stranger?—”
“Hey, I resent that. I was a trustworthy stranger,” Ethan interrupts as he installs the base for the flatscreen.
“We didn’t know you back then. You could’ve been a serial killer for all we knew,” I protest, not adding that everything they’ve done since they met has been abrupt. And even though things worked out for them, it was still risky.
“But I wasn’t,” he insists and grins like an idiot in love, waggling his eyebrows at Lily. “Just her soulmate.”
Lily blushes, a soppy smile spreading across her face. I mime gagging.
“Anyway, back to my current situation. This isn’t amidlife crisis, more like hitting the reset button,” I admit aloud, ignoring his comment about him and my sister. “But I know I need to try. To find my own path, even if it’s a bit unconventional.”
I stand up, pacing the small space. “There are so many people out there who need legal help but can’t afford it. What if I could make a real difference in their lives?”
Ethan nods in understanding. “Well, when you’re ready to start looking for office space, I’ve got a few realtor friends who might be able to help. Just say the word.”
As I speak, the idea takes hold, growing more solid with each word. “I could start my own practice, focus on pro bono work. It wouldn’t be easy, but it would be meaningful. Purposeful.”
But then, there’s the thought of what Mom and Dad might think? They’ve always been so proud of their corporate lawyer daughter. And what about my plans for the future? I’d always imagined I’d be settled down by now, maybe even starting a family. How will this change things?
I shake my head, trying to dispel the thoughts. I can’t let fear hold me back. Not anymore and it’s not like I’m quitting tomorrow. I’ll plan and do it when the time is right.
“I know it won’t be easy,” I say, more to myself than to them. “But I have to try. I have to see what I’m capable of, on my own terms.”
Lily squeezes my hand, her eyes shining with understanding. “You’ve got this, Zo. And we’ve got your back.”
After we finish setting up, Lily and Ethan leave but not without reminding me that next week we’re heading to Fiji for Audrey and Liam’s wedding. And yes, another wedding where I’ll be a bridesmaid—this time I’m going without a date. It’s going to be torture.
I settle onto the couch, surveying the few unpacked boxes that remain. The late afternoon sunlight slants through the windows, casting long shadows across the hardwood floor.
There are so many people out there who need legal help but can’t afford it. What if I could make a real difference in their lives? The more I consider it, the more the idea takes hold. I could start my own practice, focus on pro bono work. It wouldn’t be easy, especially at first. But it would be meaningful. Impactful.
I make a few notes on my phone about how I can approach these new ideas. It’s not something I’ll do right away, but maybe within the next year?
Then there’s the question of my personal life. I’ve been so focused on Tom and my career for so long, I’ve barely given a thought to dating, to starting a family someday. Will this new venture consume all of my time and energy, leaving no room for anything else?
I shake my head, trying to dispel the swirling thoughts. One step at a time, I remind myself. Focus on the present and the opportunities that lie ahead. The rest will work itself out in time.
Chapter Twenty-One
Zoe: You’re out of town until further notice?
MaxMc: Who told you that?
Zoe: Audrey said that you won’t be available until the wedding—in three weeks.
MaxMc: Ugh, I didn’t want you to find out like that.
