She called it Second Chapter.
The name was printed above the red door in elegant white letters.
She painted the reading corner herself, hired two part-time employees, and arranged the shelves by hand. She contacted local authors, negotiated with suppliers, and learned more about bookkeeping in six weeks than Michael had learned about their household finances in twenty-two years.
Her sister sent me pictures of the opening.
Karen stood beneath the sign wearing a green dress, smiling as customers filled the shop.
She looked radiant.
I stared at the photographs longer than I should have.
Then I put my phone away.
I was proud of her.
I missed her.
And I had no idea whether she would ever want me in her life again.
Meanwhile, Michael’s strategy began to unravel.
Karen’s attorney obtained the complete bank records and showed that the alleged transfers were ordinary, documented transactions. The money Michael had called suspicious was traceable to Karen’s savings and the initial costs of the bookstore.
