Chapter 5 - TRUE NORTH
The afternoon sun was warm and golden as I walked out of the towering glass lobby of Moretti & Hayes Logistics onto the sun-drenched Miami sidewalk.
Richard walked beside me, carrying his briefcase with a satisfied grin. “Well, Emily. That was arguably the most efficient corporate execution I’ve witnessed in twenty years of practice.”
“It wasn't corporate execution, Richard,” I said, adjusting the strap of my flight bag over my shoulder. “It was just basic navigation. When you hit severe turbulence, you don't panic. You secure the cabin, protect your passengers, and fly the plane through.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out.
It was a text from Brooke—forwarded from an unknown number since Grant’s phone had been confiscated by security: Grant just came back to the apartment with a box. He’s screaming that his life is ruined. Get back here and fix this!
I calmly tapped the screen, blocked the number, and deleted the message without opening it. She was Grant’s problem now. Let them share the small, miserable apartment they deserved, living off whatever scraps he had left hidden in his pockets.
Thirty minutes later, I unlocked the door to my sister’s spacious, sunlit townhouse in Coral Gables, where Lily was currently staying while our permanent living arrangements were sorted out.
As the front door swung open, the sweet, melodic sound of children's laughter floated down the hallway.
I dropped my flight bag in the entryway and hurried toward the kitchen.
Lily sat at the low wooden craft table, wearing a bright pink shirt, happily coloring inside the lines of a unicorn coloring book. Beside her sat my sister, holding a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies.
When Lily heard my footsteps, her head snapped up.
For a terrifying second, I held my breath, wondering if the trauma of the past two months had left permanent scars on her voice.
Instead, a bright, radiant smile broke across her little face—a smile I hadn't seen in over a year. She dropped her crayon, jumped off her tiny chair, and came running across the hardwood floor on steady, unhesitating legs.
“Mommy!”
She threw her arms around my knees, burying her face in my uniform skirt.
I dropped to the floor, wrapping my arms around her so tightly I thought my heart might burst. Tears streamed down my cheeks, hot and liberating, washing away every ounce of the storm I had survived.
“I’m here, baby,” I whispered into her soft curls, kissing the top of her head over and over again. “Mommy is home. And we are never, ever going back.”
Lily pulled back, looked up into my eyes with a fierce, beautiful clarity, and smiled.
“Can we make pancakes, Mommy?” she asked, her voice clear, strong, and musical.
May you like
“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” I whispered, lifting her up into my arms. “Whatever you want.”
Outside, the Miami sky was wide, bright, and completely clear of clouds. The storm had passed, the cabin was secure, and our compass was finally pointing true north.
