Chapter 13 - Luis Morales Finally Came Home
Six months later, Rachel returned to Chicago.
Not for Ethan.
At least not primarily.
Callahan Business & Fiduciary held a formal records ceremony correcting
Luis Morales’s employment history.
Rachel almost refused.
Then Marisol said:
“Your father spent years carrying their accusation. Let them say his
name correctly.”
So Rachel went.
A framed statement acknowledged that Luis had been falsely blamed for
the 2003 theft.
It described the altered dispatch records and Michael Callahan’s failure
to correct the accusation after learning the truth.
Ethan refused language that softened his father’s role.
Rachel noticed.
Patrick Callahan apologized publicly to the Morales family.
Marisol cried.
Rachel did too.
Afterward, Rachel placed one of Luis’s old mileage books in a historical
archive.
She kept the others.
Not every piece of her father belonged to a public lesson.
Ethan found her outside.
Sophie, now one year old, recognized him.
She reached out.
Rachel laughed.
“Unbelievable.”
Ethan looked pleased.
“She has excellent judgment.”
“That remains under review.”
He asked before taking Sophie.
Rachel handed her over.
The distinction mattered.
Ethan walked beside Rachel while Sophie played with the edge of his
jacket.
“Dinner?” he asked.
Rachel looked at him.
“You’re persistent.”
“I’ve asked three times in six months.”
“True.”
“So?”
Rachel smiled.
“Yes.”
It was only dinner.
Not destiny.
Not protection.
Not repayment.
May you like
Just dinner.
That was exactly why she agreed.
