Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
"My sister loves them," Patricia asks.
"Your sister humors you," he says.
She bats her hand you're ridiculous. "How about a drink? Daphne, would you give me a hand?"
"I'd love to." Daphne follows her to the bar inside.
I stay on the grass with Alexander as he surveys the backyard.
His kingdom.
His home.
"Do you like the place?" he asks.
"It's beautiful," I say.
"And married life—how do you like it so far?" he asks.
"It hasn't been very long." My eyes go to Daphne. I can see her through the sliding glass door.
I watch as she laughs at one of Patricia's jokes.
The two of them fall into an easy rhythm, trading stories and fixing drinks.
She pours a gin and tonic. Then a vodka soda.
They do fit into some stereotypes of wealthy people.
Alexander cuts in before I can finish my thought. "You really love her."
"I do." It hits me all at once.
I love my wife.
It shouldn't feel like a revelation, but it does.
I've never loved anyone before.
Not like this.
I want to hold her close. I want to keep her with me.
And I want to let her go. Let her free.
Two more weeks.
Two more weeks, and I have to let her go.
There is this old episode of ER my grandma loves to talk about. A couple calls off their wedding.
The woman walked out.
Later, she meets the man on a bench, and she can't believe he's happy, but he is.
Because she's the one who lost something.
She's the one who lost someone who loved her.
For the first time, I understand why Grandma loves the sentiment. It's not because men are fools who think women live and die by a man's love.
It's because she understands the nature of love.
It's not a tight leash.
It's an open cage.
Love means letting someone free. The more space you give, the more space your love has to grow.
Even if it gives them space to leave.
Alexander waits until I release my gaze. "I guess I don't have to ask how the two of you met."
I nod. "Our families have been friends forever. She's been in my life since I can remember. She's been Cassie's best friend since I can remember."
"How does your sister feel about it?" Alexander asks.
"She's happier than I expected." She's completely without reservations. She embraced us. Which is a lot more than I can say for my feelings about her relationship.
I'll never apologize for looking out for her—
But I need to give her space too. I need to give my entire family space to grow into themselves, make their own mistakes, shape their own lives.
"She's happy," I say. "She always wanted Daphne as a sister."
Alexander smiles. "That's sweet."
It is. "No one would describe Cassie as sweet, but she is. She just hides it."
"Like you." He doesn't say it is a question.
I nod anyway.
"You're an interesting young man, Jackson. You have a firmness to you. An authority. You have the potential to be an excellent trial attorney. But you have a softness too. Clients trust you to hold their hand."
"I try."
"I know it gets tiring, sometimes, but don't lose that," he says. "Don't forget, this job isn't just about winning and losing or enforcing rules. There are people on the other side of those contracts."
Sure. But why is he talking about the philosophy of law? A lot of law students were philosophy majors, yes, but I've never heard him mention Aristotle or Plato. Didn't he study English literature?
Or maybe this is how he starts all his you're a partner speeches.
Maybe this is it.
The thing I've been working for my entire life.
Only I'm not excited about it. I don't want to stand here and talk shop.
I want to go inside and kiss my wife.
But she won't be my wife for long. I need to follow my head. For the next hour, at least.
I nod as if I understand why Alexander is offering advice.
"You probably know why I asked you here," he says.
It's the new marriage, isn't it?
I don't know anymore.
I nod, but he doesn't see it. He's fixed on the domestic scene inside.
Alexander watches Daphne and his wife laugh as they sip drinks. "It's a magical thing, marrying the woman you love. It starts a whole new phase of your life." He blinks, and a tear catches on his lashes. "It's hard saying goodbye to that last phase, but it's worth it."
I nod, though I'm not quite following. There's some implication in his words. Something I don't understand.
"I'm going to miss you when you move to New York," he says. "But you'll be good there."
New York.
Why would I move to New York?
My brain works too slowly. I don't put the pieces together.
He plows forward with the confidence of someone fully informed. "Have you already lined up a job?"
What the hell is in New York?
Why is he talking about New York?
He notes my confusion and pats me on the shoulder again. "It's okay, son. You don't have to play coy. Patricia's best friend works at the hospital where Daphne is doing her residency." He watches his wife sip her clear drink. "She's from New York, originally. She moved when she was a kid. But they've stayed friends all this time."