Chapter 29 - The Last Meeting With Grant
Grant was released early after serving most of his sentence.
I learned about it from Arthur.
He asked whether I wanted to meet him.
I said yes.
We met in a quiet private office.
Grant looked older.
Much older.
He didn't reach for me.
Didn't ask for a hug.
Didn't pretend the past had disappeared.
"Thank you for coming," he said.
"I came because I wanted to close this chapter."
He nodded.
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
"I should have been better."
"Yes."
His eyes filled with tears.
"I loved you."
I believed him.
That was the strange part.
I believed he had loved me.
He had simply loved power more.
And love without respect had never been enough.
Grant looked down.
"Do you hate me?"
I thought carefully.
"No."
His eyes lifted.
"I don't have room for hate anymore."
He smiled sadly.
"You really did build something better."
"I did."
"Are you happy?"
I smiled.
"Yes."
He nodded.
Then he stood.
"Good."
That was all.
No reconciliation.
No dramatic embrace.
No promise to remain friends.
Just two people finally accepting that a marriage could end without either person needing to rewrite what happened.
When I left the building, Julian was waiting outside.
He didn't ask what Grant had said.
He simply opened the car door.
I got inside.
May you like
And drove home.
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