Chapter 10 - The House That Built Me
The final chapter of my old life closed quietly on a crisp Tuesday morning in early November, when the final divorce decree was stamped, signed, and officially filed with the superior court.
I sat at my desk in the studio, the vintage heater humming a steady, comforting rhythm in the corner. Outside, children were riding their bicycles along the sidewalk, their laughter echoing through the open window just as it had every autumn since I was a little girl.
I looked down at the blueprints spread across my drafting table—a sprawling, light-filled family home designed with deep, wide hallways, sturdy load-bearing beams, and expansive windows that welcomed the morning sun without apology.
Every line was clean. Every measurement was exact. Every structural element was designed to endure whatever storms might roll across the horizon.
May you like
On the shelf beside my awards and credentials sat Nora’s polished stainless-steel dog bowl, now filled not with food or insults, but with smooth river stones and a single, vibrant green succulent that thrived in the harshest conditions without needing anyone's permission to grow.
I picked up my drafting pen, smiled, and began to draw the next line.
