Chapter 22 - SLOANE’S APOLOGYSloane came alone.
No Blake.
No flowers.
She asked to meet Evelyn at a hotel lounge in Washington.
Evelyn almost refused.
Then agreed.
Sloane arrived in a cream suit.
No wedding ring.
She sat.
For once, she looked less polished.
Tired.
“Thank you for coming.”
Evelyn waited.
Sloane took a breath.
“I owe you an apology.”
“Yes.”
The direct answer startled her.
Sloane continued.
“What I did at the wedding was unacceptable.”
Evelyn said nothing.
“I was under enormous pressure.”
There it was.
The explanation.
“I’d spent months planning everything. My family was dealing with financial issues. Blake kept telling me his position at Mercer was about to change.”
Evelyn listened.
“I felt like you were threatening our future.”
“How?”
“You could influence Harrison.”
“I’m his wife.”
“I know.”
“You mean I could tell him something you didn’t want him to know.”
Sloane’s face tightened.
“Yes.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Continue.”
Sloane looked uncomfortable.
“I should never have hit you.”
“No.”
“And Blake should never have pushed you.”
“No.”
“I’m sorry.”
Evelyn studied her.
“Why now?”
Sloane swallowed.
“I’m trying to fix my life.”
There was that word again.
Fix.
“My marriage may be over.”
“I’m sorry.”
Sloane looked surprised.
“You are?”
“I don’t enjoy anyone’s pain.”
It sounded like Harrison.
Evelyn nearly smiled.
Sloane continued.
“I want to put this behind us.”
Evelyn leaned back.
“There’s the problem.”
“What?”
“You want the event to stop affecting you.”
“That isn’t fair.”
“Maybe.”
Evelyn looked directly at her.
“Would you be here if Harrison had signed those papers?”
Sloane opened her mouth.
Stopped.
Evelyn waited.
No answer came.
“That’s what I thought.”
She stood.
Sloane’s eyes filled.
“I really am sorry.”
Evelyn paused.
“I believe you’re sorry something happened.”
“That isn’t the same?”
“No.”
“What would be enough?”
Evelyn considered.
“Stop asking the people you hurt to tell you when your apology is sufficient.”
Then she left.
Sloane remained seated.
May you like
For perhaps the first time in her life, there was no audience to convince.
Only herself.
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