Chapter 15 - White Roses Changed Their Meaning
On Ethan’s thirty-eighth birthday, Emily came home carrying white roses.
Ethan stared at them.
“You’re evil.”
She laughed.
“They were on sale.”
“Sure.”
She placed them in a vase.
For years, Ethan had associated white roses with Richard.
Then with Margaret’s secret warnings.
Then with the night he found Emily covered in cake.
Emily refused to let flowers carry that much authority.
“They’re flowers,” she said.
He looked at them.
“Apparently my family disagrees.”
“Your family gave everything a secret meaning.”
“That is unfortunately true.”
Emily had ordered a birthday dessert.
Not cake.
Key lime pie.
Ethan approved.
Margaret was not invited.
Their relationship continued at a distance.
Ethan spoke with her occasionally.
Emily did not.
Neither forced the other to change that arrangement.
The Bennett restitution process had concluded.
Hale Development survived.
Smaller.
More transparent.
Less controlled by one family.
Ethan considered that an improvement.
After dinner, Emily handed him a plain envelope.
He froze.
She laughed.
“Open it.”
Inside were two plane tickets.
Maine.
A week away.
No trust amendment.
No hidden ledger.
No dead father’s confession.
Ethan looked relieved.
“This is the best envelope I’ve received in years.”
Emily smiled.
“That was the goal.”
On the table, the white roses opened slowly in the warm room.
May you like
For once, they meant exactly what Emily intended.
Happy birthday.
