Chapter 28 - Five Years LaterFive years after the first wedding, Simone employed fourteen people.
Carter Bespoke Cakes had expanded into event pastry design and corporate dessert work.
She still decorated at least one cake a week herself.
Keisha became operations director.
“Which means I boss you around professionally now.”
“You always did.”
“Now it’s taxable.”
Simone laughed.
The bakery building’s mortgage was far from finished.
She liked that.
Debt she understood was less frightening than gifts she did not.
Ashley became CEO of Bennett Hospitality after Evelyn retired from daily leadership.
Malcolm remained an architect and refused every invitation to join Bennett management.
“My marriage has enough spreadsheets already.”
Ashley loved him for that.
They had a daughter, Camille.
Simone made Camille’s first-birthday cake.
Ashley insisted on paying full price.
Naturally.
Marcus had completed custody and remained on supervised financial obligations for years afterward.
He eventually became a project manager at the housing nonprofit.
He never regained his old social status.
He did not appear to chase it anymore.
Simone knew this only because Rochelle occasionally mentioned broad facts.
Ashley knew even less.
That was appropriate.
One day Simone received an email from Marcus.
The first direct message in years.
Subject:
Permission to ask one question
She stared.
Then opened it.
Simone, I understand if you do not respond. I have been invited to speak to a reentry group about financial shame and deception. I want to mention, without names, how I used another person’s business account as part of my fraud. Before I do, I wanted to ask whether you object. If you do, I will not include it.
Simone read the email twice.
He was asking before deciding for her.
Five years late.
Still meaningful.
She responded:
You may discuss your actions if you do not identify me, my company, Ashley, or Bennett Hospitality. Do not frame what you intended as mitigation for what you did.
His response came the next day.
Understood. Thank you for answering.
Nothing else.
Simone smiled.
Not because she wanted reconciliation.
Because change was sometimes visible in syntax.
Ashley received a similar request about discussing family-company controls.
She approved with stricter conditions.
Malcolm asked, “Does hearing from him bother you?”
“A little.”
“Want me to be angry?”
Ashley smiled.
“No.”
“Good. I’m tired.”
She laughed.
Their marriage was not perfect.
They argued about travel.
His habit of leaving architectural drawings across the dining table.
Her habit of checking shared accounts too frequently.
Once, Malcolm said, “You know you can ask me where I spent eighty dollars without sounding like an auditor.”
Ashley froze.
Then apologized.
Marcus’s shadow had not vanished.
It had simply become recognizable.
That was enough.
Simone dated occasionally.
Nothing serious for years.
Then she met Julian, a high-school principal, when he ordered a graduation cake.
On their third date he asked why she was so careful about shared expenses.
She told him.
Not everything.
Enough.
He said, “So no surprise joint property?”
“Correct.”
“No secret corporate apartments?”
“Strong preference against.”
Julian laughed.
She did too.
They took things slowly.
When he eventually left a toothbrush at her apartment, Simone stared at it for a full minute.
Then laughed at herself.
Healing sometimes had a sense of humor.
One Saturday, Carter Bespoke Cakes received an order for another wedding at the same venue.
Simone reviewed the form.
Nothing unusual.
Bride.
Groom.
Vanilla bean.
Three tiers.
Delivery through side entrance.
She could have assigned another employee.
Instead she wrote her initials beside delivery.
Keisha looked over.
“You still do that on purpose?”
“What?”
“Deliver there.”
Simone thought.
“No.”
That surprised them both.
At some point, returning had stopped being symbolic.
It had become work.
Maybe that was the final stage.
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Not conquering a memory.
Getting bored with it.
