Chapter 16 - The Opening Day
Briar House reopened eighteen months after my fall.
Hundreds attended.
Families.
Researchers.
Students.
Journalists.
Former factory workers.
The mansion no longer felt like a private monument to wealth.
Its doors were open.
The ballroom contained exhibits explaining the lake's industrial history.
The archive allowed researchers to study what happened.
The shoreline had become protected educational land.
And Grandfather's private dock was rebuilt for community science programs.
I stood before the crowd.
My prepared speech remained in my pocket.
Instead, I told them the truth.
“My family helped cause harm here.”
Silence.
“My grandfather spent much of his life trying to repair it. He didn't finish.”
I looked around.
“None of us finish everything.”
Then I smiled.
“But we can leave the next person better tools.”
Applause began slowly.
Then grew.
I looked toward the back.
Flynn stood there.
Beside him was Cordelia.
Neither approached me.
May you like
They simply applauded.
For once, that was enough.
