36. Anna
Anna
T he emails were relentless. Anna dealt with dozens of messages on a daily basis, but this onslaught would be a part of her life for a while. You don’t shake things up without having backlash to deal with.
Christmas tended to be a slow time at the firm. Many attorneys and judges took weeks off in December only to pick back up with a renewed force after the new year.
Her parents had never fit that mold. Every Christmas growing up had been a rat race at the office, and Anna couldn’t remember a year when her parents hadn’t brought her with them to the office after opening presents on Christmas morning.
A ding alerted her to a message on a different app, and she flipped over to read it. The emails weren’t going away, and they’d be waiting for her tomorrow and the next day too.
Brittany: What did Cynthia DeSilvio send you?
Anna glanced at the clock. Five minutes until her meeting. She had some time to decompress.
Things with Brittany had been easy and comfortable since the trip, and Anna’s previous unease about her friend had almost vanished. She could chalk up the awkwardness of their meeting to nerves.
Anna: It’s gorgeous. A periwinkle skirt with cerulean ribbon detail. It’s light and flowy, and will be a hit this summer.
Brittany: I have to see it. Video chat tonight?
Anna: I can’t tonight. I’m shaking up my life today, so I’ll be busy.
A quiet vibration tingled beneath Anna’s skin. Between Beau, Olivia, and Bella, she’d heard plenty of pep talks this week. Why was her stomach still flipping like a gymnast?
Brittany: What do you mean? What’s going on?
Anna’s five minutes were almost up. There wasn’t enough time to get into the story now.
Anna: I’ll tell you on our video chat tomorrow. I want to see your face.
Brittany’s response was immediate.
Brittany: Are you sure we can’t just talk tonight?
Anna: Positive. See you soon.
Anna closed her laptop and stood, pushing out a deep breath through rounded lips and brushing her hands over her charcoal-gray slacks. She made it all the way to her office door before she stopped with her hand on the knob.
“God, I need Your help this morning. I need Your strength and comfort. I can’t do this on my own, but You’ve asked me to trust You, and I’m doing all I can to follow You. Please give me boldness.”
Anna tightened her hands into fists before flexing them as she walked down the hallway. Her attention remained focused on the door at the end.
It’ll be over in just a few minutes.
They won’t hurt you.
It’s only words.
You are loved.
The words she’d repeated all morning were true, but the mind was its own entity. Why did it take so much to convince herself that there wasn’t a hungry bear waiting in her dad’s office?
Her mother’s loud voice drifted down the hallway to meet her before she stepped into the room and closed the door. Her mom stood by Anna’s dad’s desk with her arms crossed over her chest. The conversation died as her mother faced her.
Her dad checked the time on his monitor. “You have four minutes. I have a call at 10:15.
Anna clasped her hands, determined to stop the shaking. “I’m leaving the firm.”
Her mother didn’t miss a beat. “You’re what? ”
“Leaving.” It was a miracle she’d gotten the words out without stuttering. “I’ll send you an email confirming my two-week notice, effective immediately.”
Catherine’s arms dropped to her sides, but her hands were clenched into tight fists. “You’re going to allow that piece of trash to disrupt our business. You’re more stupid than I thought.”
They’re words. Just words. Beau was so much more than a piece of trash, and Anna was not stupid. In fact, she was coming to believe she was making more intelligent decisions every day.
“If I’m being honest, I don’t like the work environment, and the firm’s goals do not align with my own.”
“No one asked for your thoughts!” Catherine shouted. “We have deadlines, hearings, and trials scheduled, and you think you can just leave because you’re running around with a filthy man who works on cars?”
Anna took a deep breath, refusing to react to the hateful words. “You don’t love me,” she whispered.
“What?” Catherine wasn’t quiet. The rage in her tone carried through the room. At this rate, everyone in the office was going to hear the news before the meeting was even over.
“You don’t love me,” Anna repeated slowly, clearer this time .
They were just words, but these did hurt. They ripped open her soul, leaving her empty and cold.
Her mom scoffed. “You’ve been making decisions that we don’t agree with. You’re not thinking clearly. You’re not being responsible or mature?—”
“I’m not doing everything you tell me to do. There’s a difference. I can make decisions for myself without your consent. I’m not a child, and you don’t own me. You kicked me out, then?—”
“You left!” Catherine exclaimed, pointing a stiff finger at Anna. “You left. We did not kick you out. You made a poor decision.”
“I made a decision for me. There’s a difference.”
Catherine scoffed. “It was a ridiculous decision!”
“I understand that you believe that, and I can’t change your mind. Still, I didn’t make a ridiculous decision. I made a choice for myself, and I don’t regret moving out.”
The last word cracked. Could she get another adrenaline boost to finish this conversation without breaking? She wanted her family—craved them—but nothing she did would truly make them happy. Even when she’d been meek and compliant, they weren’t satisfied.
The frowning lines on her mother’s face smoothed. Catherine stood tall, glaring at Anna. “You can’t make it on your own. You can’t make it without me . ”
The old fear rose up inside her, hot and firm as it tightened in her throat. “I don’t want to do this.” Great. Her voice was shaking now. She wasn’t bold enough to break all ties with her parents without shedding tears.
“Then don’t. Get rid of that creep and right the wrongs you’ve made recently. You’ve been throwing your life away ever since the wedding.”
“I don’t believe that,” Anna said quickly. “I’ve never been happier.”
“That’s a lie,” her mother spat. “That stupid boy is feeding you lies. Life without structure and success is lazy and useless. He can’t give you the life we have. You’ll be knocked up, broke, abused, and homeless before you know what hit you.”
Anna jerked back. None of those things would come from a life with Beau. He’d done nothing but nurture and support her—things her parents had done only with money and social standing.
“I’m sorry.” Anna sniffed and wiped the moisture from her eye. “Your love costs more than I can afford. I’m my own person, and I need to live my own life.”
Her mother’s hand slapped onto her father’s sleek, mahogany desk with a bang that reverberated through the room. “How can you say that? We’ve given you everything!”
Despite her initial bravery, Anna’s shoulders shook as she gasped for breath. “Except the ability to choose. I’ve chosen my faith, where I’ll live, and now, I’m choosing my job. I love it here, but I want to do things my way. I’m choosing God and myself.”
Catherine lifted her chin, looking Anna up and down the way someone would assess a threat before battle. “What are you going to do?”
Anna shook her head. “I’m not ready to tell you that yet. I might never be, and I’d like to settle into my new job without complications.”
“You won’t be getting a letter of recommendation from me,” her father said.
Any hope she’d held onto that her dad might support her vaporized like steam above boiling water. The rolling in her empty stomach begged her to double over. Did it have to be this way?
Yes. She’d tried to comply. She’d bent over backward to please them, but even her best efforts hadn’t done any good.
They didn’t love her. They controlled her. All the years of showing only her best and smiling through the hurt were for nothing.
Maybe one day she could have a relationship with her parents, but it wasn’t today. If they wouldn’t listen, she couldn’t change their minds.
Her mother crossed her arms over her chest, bunching her pristine blouse. “And don’t bother showing up for the next two weeks. You’ll need to file a notice of withdrawal in every lawsuit you’re associated with and turn in your keys by the end of the day.”
The tears did come, but they were mercifully silent. After years of loving her job, she was leaving everything behind with one decision.
Was she being selfish by leaving the clients she’d promised to represent? Of course. Was she willing to continue being her mother’s punching bag? Not at all.
She turned to leave, desperate to escape before her parents saw the weakness streaming down her face, but her mother’s sharp voice called her back.
“Oh, and Anna.”
Turning, Anna let the woman who’d raised her see the hurt in her eyes. Would she even care?
“That man is not allowed here. Understood?”
“Yes.” It was all she could muster before the floodgates opened. She rushed down the hall, clamping her hand over her mouth to muffle the sobs that ripped from her chest. Tears rolled over her fingers until she slid into her office and closed the door.
It wasn’t even her office anymore. She wouldn’t come here anymore. It would become a strange place to her soon. Would she even miss it?
Pressing her back against the door, she let the tears fall. Gasping for air, she choked on the sobs. The tears fell until her shoulders sagged with the weight of her sadness .
She didn’t want to keep her job. She wanted her parents to care about her the way she cared about them, but that prayer wasn’t meant to be answered today.
Her phone on the desk dinged, and she swiped at the tears on her face as she pushed away from the door that held her upright. A text from Beau lit up the screen.
Beau: Meet me outside.
She grabbed a tissue from the box on her desk and dried her face. Beau knew about the meeting with her parents, but it was the middle of a workday, and he should be at the garage.
Her breaths evened as she neared the lobby, and she stormed straight through the exit without saying a word to anyone.
Beau leaned against the front of his truck in the parking lot. His head lifted as she burst through the door, showing off his gentle smile.
Who cared if she was wearing heels? Anna tore across the lot toward Beau, but he met her halfway. The truth clicked into place the moment she crashed into him. She loved Beau Lawrence with all her heart.
His arm held tight around her back, and his hand cradled her head. “I’m here. It’s okay.”
The tears started anew, but her heart was at war with itself. Beau’s love healed the fresh wounds her parents had created. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. I don’t know where I belong,” she said, wiping her tears on his shirt.
“You belong with me,” Beau said, deep and sure as his hold tightened around her. “And you’ve already done everything you need to do. You start working at Camille’s office in two weeks.”
He was right. She had a new job—a better job—waiting for her.
“Anna.”
She wiped at her face. She probably looked horrible with a red nose and makeup smeared around her eyes. “Yes.”
Beau brushed his hand over her wet cheek and waited patiently until she looked up at him. Instead of a look of horror, Beau’s light-brown eyes peered straight into her soul.
“I love you, Anna.”
She sucked in a quick breath. “What did you say?”
“I love you. I know it hasn’t been long, and I know you’re going through a lot right now.
” He cradled her face in both of his strong hands.
“I have no right to love you, but I do anyway. You’re the most amazing woman in the world.
They may have hurt you today, but you will always be loved.
You’re strong, funny, smart, beautiful, and the kindest?—”
“I love you too. I love you so much.”
Her arms tangled around his neck the moment their lips touched. Beau met her kiss with an intensity that brought her back to life. His kiss was hard and forceful but slow and sure. There wasn’t an ounce of hesitation as he showed her the depth of his love.
She broke the kiss to breathe but didn’t move out of his embrace. Cradled against him, she could believe that everything would be okay.
“I don’t know what I would do without you,” she whispered.
“You could have done all of this on your own. You’re stronger than you realize.” He pulled back just enough to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “I know you’ll miss them, but you never needed them to be complete. You just needed someone to tell you that you already are.”
She sniffed and wiped her nose. “Do you mean that?”
“Of course I do. You’re a rockstar, Anna.” He jerked his chin toward the door of the building. “Do you need help moving things out?”
“Actually, you’re banned from the building.”
“Well, I think that means we should go get lunch and come back with some friends who aren’t banned.”
Anna chuckled and blinked away the last of the moisture in her eyes. “Let me get my purse.”
Beau tugged on her hand. “You don’t need it. Let’s get out of here.”
How could she refuse that offer? She let him walk her to the passenger side of his truck and open the door for her. When she was settled inside, he leaned in to press a quick kiss to her lips.
“I love you.”
Would she ever get tired of hearing those words? “I love you too.”