Chapter 34 - The College Years
|
Owen thrived at university. Freed from the oppressive, lingering anxiety that often plagues children of high-conflict divorces, he attacked his pre-law studies with a joyful, relentless energy.
He didn't want to be a corporate litigator or a criminal prosecutor. He wanted to specialize in family law and civil rights, driven by a deep desire to dismantle the legal loopholes that abusers often use to financially terrorize their victims.
I watched him from afar, amazed by his clarity of purpose.
My own life had settled into a beautiful, productive rhythm. David and I had moved in together, combining our lives in a bright, airy loft that felt entirely unlike any space I had ever inhabited before.
There were no tiptoeing around his moods, no apologizing for my success, and no hidden bank accounts.
One evening, I was sitting on the sofa, aggressively editing a grant proposal for the clinic. David was at the drafting table across the room, working on a complex architectural blueprint for a historical renovation project.
"David, does this paragraph sound too aggressive?" I asked, reading a section demanding harsher penalties for financial coercion.
He looked up from his blueprints, a slow, appreciative smile spreading across his face.
"Nora, you are aggressively dismantling systematic abuse. You aren't asking for polite favors," David replied smoothly. "Keep the aggression. It suits you."
I smiled, turning back to my laptop.
It was such a simple, mundane interaction, but it hit me with the force of a revelation. I was in a relationship where my strength was not viewed as a threat. My ambition was not an inconvenience. I was loved not for my compliance, but for my ferocity.
I saved the document, closed the laptop, and walked across the room, wrapping my arms around his shoulders from behind.
May you like
"What's this for?" David asked, leaning back into my embrace.
"For understanding that a cage doesn't need to be built," I whispered, kissing his cheek. "And for loving the woman who breaks them."
