Chapter 14 - The Last Hawthorne Vote
Four years after the first gala, Lowcountry Community Trust completed its governance restructuring.
The final Hawthorne-family control provisions would disappear.
Vivienne’s interim authority would end too.
Raymond asked whether she wanted a permanent chair role.
“No.”
Everyone was surprised.
“You rebuilt this organization,” he said.
“Exactly why I should leave.”
Nell joined remotely from Maine.
“You sound like Samuel Hart.”
Vivienne smiled.
“I’ll take that.”
The new board included community leaders, clinicians, educators, nonprofit professionals, and two former grant recipients.
No family controlled more than one seat.
The vote passed unanimously.
Afterward Nell called privately.
“You gave away power most people would kill to keep.”
“I watched people almost destroy everything trying to keep it.”
“Augustus would finally respect you.”
“He already did.”
Nell smiled sadly.
“He did.”
Nell’s health declined that winter.
Vivienne visited.
Weston was there.
So was Adelaide.
The strange fractured Hawthorne family occupied one room without pretending history was clean.
Nell took Vivienne’s hand.
“I owe you an apology I should have given years ago.”
“You’ve apologized.”
“Not for the worst part.”
Vivienne waited.
“I knew Weston envied your success.”
Vivienne’s chest tightened.
“I encouraged you to make yourself smaller.”
Yes.
Nell had often suggested fewer projects.
More dinners.
Less travel.
More support for Weston.
“I thought that was marriage.”
“So did I.”
“I was wrong.”
Vivienne squeezed her hand.
“Yes.”
Nell laughed weakly.
“Still ruthless.”
“Always.”
Nell died peacefully two months later.
At the funeral, Vivienne stood beside Weston and Adelaide.
No reporters.
No scandal.
Just grief.
Afterward Weston said, “You were more her daughter than I was near the end.”
“No.”
Vivienne shook her head.
“I was someone she could tell the truth to.”
Weston nodded.
“That may be more intimate.”
Vivienne returned home to Gabriel.
He had flowers waiting.
Not expensive.
Daisies.
Nell hated daisies.
Vivienne laughed.
“Why?”
May you like
“I thought you needed something un-Hawthorne.”
Perfect.
