Chapter 10 - Carter Came Home
Carter finished his sentence after thirty months due to cooperation and good conduct. He did not return to Manhattan immediately. He moved to Connecticut, worked for a nonprofit teaching entrepreneurship to people rebuilding after financial convictions, and legally restored his surname to Whitman.
The headline amused Evelyn.
CARTER BLACKWOOD IS BLACKWOOD NO MORE.
He emailed:
Finally accurate journalism.
She laughed.
Months later Caroline invited him to a family memorial for Charles.
Evelyn was surprised.
“He was married to you for nine years,” Caroline said. “Charles knew him.”
“Dad warned him away.”
“Dad also kept him in our orbit afterward. Complicated.”
Julian said attending was Evelyn’s choice.
She went.
Carter stood near the garden in a plain navy suit.
No Blackwood pin.
No borrowed identity.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
He glanced at Julian.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Julian approached.
The men shook hands.
Awkwardly civilized.
Carter said, “I owe you an apology too.”
Julian raised an eyebrow.
“For?”
“I spent years thinking every man near Evelyn wanted what I wanted.”
“Which was?”
“Access.”
Julian nodded.
“That sounds exhausting.”
Carter laughed.
Later he and Evelyn walked alone.
“I saw Margaret House.”
“How?”
“Website.”
“What do you think?”
“That you turned the place where I lied most into somewhere women learn to check paperwork.”
“Appropriate.”
He smiled.
“I’m dating someone.”
Evelyn felt curiosity.
Not pain.
“Does she know?”
“Everything.”
“Smart?”
“Smarter than me.”
“Low bar.”
He laughed.
Her name was Amanda Chen, a financial literacy educator who met Carter through nonprofit work.
“Does she care about the Blackwood years?”
“She made me show her my credit report before date five.”
Evelyn smiled.
“I like her.”
“So do I.”
They hugged goodbye.
No romance.
May you like
No longing.
A former marriage transformed into history.
