His head came up.
“I’m not punishing you. I need space.”
“And you were so afraid.”
He nodded.
I held up the folder.
“Tomorrow,
I look at what this move costs me: my clients, Olive’s school, our support system. Then I’ll decide whether Oregon deserves a conversation.”
For once, Ben didn’t try to steer the outcome.
“Okay, Chels.”
He nodded.
“Good. Because my life is part of this discussion.”
***
By noon, I called him.
“I want
the full offer: hours, call schedule, relocation timeline, everything that affects Olive and me.”
“Chelsea, I was trying to make this easier.”
“That’s the problem, Ben. You keep deciding what’s easier before you ask us.”
I called him.
***
Later, I walked into his home office for a charger and heard a voice from his laptop.
“We’re still happy to honor the schedule you negotiated.”
I stopped.
When the call ended, I stayed in the doorway.
