“I just wanted to come out ahead,” she said.
Liz looked at her sister. For a moment, beneath the makeup and the pride, Natalie looked young. Fragile, even.
“Natalie, you already had plenty going for you,” Liz said. “That still didn’t give you the right to tear me down.”
Natalie nodded, crying quietly now.
“I know. I’m sorry. Truly.”
Liz stepped forward and gave her sister a brief, careful hug.
“Okay,” she said. “I hear you. But that doesn’t mean everything goes back to normal. If we start over, we do it slowly.”
Susan let out a long breath.
“Liz… I owe you an apology too. I was unfair to you. You reminded me of Mike’s past, and I took that out on you. That was wrong.”
Liz nodded.
“Thank you, Susan.”
The formality of the name hung there, honest and appropriate. Susan gave a small, sad smile.
Ethan watched the exchange, his expression tight but calm.
“I’m glad the truth came out,” he said. “Natalie, I hope you do change. And Liz… would it be all right if I called you sometime? Not as your sister’s husband. Just as someone whose life you changed.”
