Chapter 9 - A New Horizon
The ink was barely dry when I walked out of the Miller & Vance offices for the final time as a practicing name partner in waiting. Sarah and I stood on the wide stone steps outside, watching the afternoon sun break through the gray November clouds, casting a golden glow over the downtown towers.
“Well,” Sarah said, sliding her sunglasses onto her nose with a satisfied grin. “That was certainly more efficient than a turkey dinner.”
I laughed, feeling a lightness in my chest that I hadn't experienced in a decade. Every breath felt deeper, cleaner, entirely my own.
“What are you going to do now, Nora?” Sarah asked, turning to look at me. “You’ve got a multi-million-dollar portfolio, a prime piece of downtown real estate, and your law license back. The world is yours.”
I looked down the bustling avenue, where people were hurrying past in coats and scarves, heading toward weekend plans, family gatherings, or quiet evenings alone.
“I’m going to take a vacation,” I said. “Somewhere far away. Somewhere without golf courses, country clubs, or family dinners.”
“Greece?” Sarah suggested. “Italy?”
“Let’s start with a cabin in the mountains,” I smiled. “Somewhere with a fireplace, a stack of good books, and a phone that only rings when I want it to.”
May you like
“Consider it done,” Sarah said, wrapping her arm around my shoulders for a brief, fierce hug. “And Nora? If any man ever raises a hand to you again, let me know. I won't even wait for the financial injunction.”
I laughed, feeling the last lingering shadow of the past nine years evaporate into the crisp autumn air.
