Chapter 20 - AUGUST COMES HOMEAugust served most of sentence and returned under supervised release.
Seraphina had not seen him in person for over two years.
She decided to.
Enzo offered accompany.
“No.”
Marina also no.
August lived in smaller house in Connecticut, assets reduced.
He looked old.
Seraphina sat.
He asked:
“How’s husband?”
“Good.”
“Children?”
They had one baby? We can perhaps give Enzo/Seraphina later. At this point maybe pregnant? Let's not yet.
“No.”
August nodded.
Then:
“Marina?”
“Married. Inn doing well.”
He looked away.
“Good.”
Seraphina surprised.
“You mean?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
He said:
“I spent prison thinking Teresa won.”
Seraphina frowned.
“That’s still competition.”
“I know.”
“Then I realized she died before any of this.”
“No one won.”
Better.
He apologized to daughter for using marriage as strategy and leaking affair.
Seraphina cried.
“Do you understand what that did?”
“Yes.”
“Not just reputation.”
“You made me afraid anyone loving me could weaponize sex.”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry.”
She did not forgive fully.
She chose monthly lunch eventually.
Boundaries.
August never returned to family governance.
No redemption through money.
He volunteered? Could feel forced. He worked with reentry financial-literacy? Maybe not.
He lived quietly.
Sometimes consequence is smaller life.
Seraphina learned she could love father without giving influence.
Enzo respected.
May you like
Marina never met August socially again.
Not needed.
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