Chapter 23 - Sarah's Advice
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Aunt Sarah invited Richard over to her farmhouse on the other side of the property for a quiet dinner after Leo had fallen asleep under Clara’s watchful eye. They sat on her back porch, drinking cold beers and listening to the rhythmic chirping of the crickets.
“You look entirely different, Richard,” Sarah noted, taking a sip of her drink.
“I feel different,” Richard admitted, stretching his long legs out. “I feel like I can finally breathe without worrying that the air is going to be ripped from my lungs.”
“You fought a brutal war for that boy,” Sarah said, her voice filled with profound sisterly pride.
“You ripped your entire corporate life apart, you faced down a sociopath in family court, and you completely won. But now comes the hardest part.”
Richard frowned slightly, turning his head to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you have to learn how to be just a father, not a bodyguard,” Sarah explained gently.
“You have spent the last two years constantly shielding him, anticipating attacks, building emotional walls. It was necessary. But she is gone now. You don't have to carry the shield twenty-four hours a day anymore.”
Richard stared out into the dark pasture. He knew she was right. His hyper-vigilance was a trauma response of his own. Every time a car drove down the main road, his heart rate spiked.
“It is hard to drop the armor,” Richard confessed quietly.
“I know,” Sarah smiled, reaching over to squeeze his arm affectionately.
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“But look at Leo. He is brushing horses, building treehouses, and making friends. He is adapting quickly. You need to let yourself adapt, too. It is okay to relax, Richard. The monsters have been permanently locked outside the gate.”
Richard took a long sip of his beer, letting his sister’s wise words settle deep into his soul. It was time to finally put the heavy shield down.
