Chapter 13 - The Bridge at Sunset
The next evening, before my leave came to an end, Gwen and I took a quiet walk down to the old iron bridge that crossed the river on the edge of town.
The sun was sinking low behind the midwestern horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of amber and violet, much like the sunsets over the Atlantic at Mayport.
We leaned against the cold iron railing, watching the dark water rush underneath.
“I put in my resignation at the catering company,” Gwen broke the silence, keeping her eyes fixed on the water. “The whole place is folding anyway after Miller’s arrest, but... even if it weren't, I needed a fresh start.”
I turned my head to look at her. “Have you thought about what you want to do next?”
“Actually... yes,” Gwen sighed, a genuine, hopeful smile touching her lips. “I applied for an administrative coordinator position at the regional logistics depot downtown. It’s steady work, good benefits, and—most importantly—it has nothing to do with corporate catering.”
“Logistics is a respectable field,” I remarked approvingly. “Organization, supply chains, accountability. You’d be good at it.”
Gwen laughed softly, nudging my shoulder with hers. “Thanks to nineteen years of watching how my little sister runs her life.”
She paused, her expression turning more serious as she looked down at my uniform jacket.
“Corinne... I’m sorry. For all of it. For nineteen years of making you feel like you had to choose between your family and your career.”
I reached out, resting my hand over hers on the cold iron railing.
May you like
“You never had to choose, Gwen,” I said quietly. “You just had to learn how to look past the uniform and see the person wearing it.”
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