Chapter 14 - Claire Saw Jason Again Without Robert Standing Between Them
Four years after the wedding pavilion, Claire attended a hospitality conference in Chicago.
Jason was there.
She knew beforehand.
He had joined a midsized resort-development firm in Colorado after two years away from executive work.
No blacklist.
No career annihilation.
He had completed court-independent counseling and an intervention program recommended during the divorce.
Claire did not know how much he had changed.
She did not need:
to.
They saw each other near an elevator.
Jason stopped.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
He stayed several feet away.
Good.
Then:
“I heard Northstar did well.”
“It did.”
“You were right about the renovation reserve.”
Claire almost laughed.
“You were right that the assets were worth buying.”
They stood in silence.
Then Jason said:
“I’m sorry.”
Claire looked at him.
“For which part?”
He nodded.
Fair question.
“For grabbing you.”
Then:
“For blocking doors before that.”
Then:
“For building a professional record partly because I wanted leverage against my wife.”
Specific.
Claire waited.
Jason continued:
“And for making you think every disagreement had consequences outside the disagreement.”
That one mattered.
Claire said:
“Thank you.”
Not:
I forgive you.
Not:
we’re okay.
Then Jason asked:
“How’s Robert?”
“Still thinks retirement is a personal insult.”
Jason smiled faintly.
Claire almost did too.
Then the elevator doors opened.
Jason stepped back.
Claire entered.
He did not follow.
Doors closed.
Her hands were not shaking.
May you like
Only afterward did she notice.
---
