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“You’re only thirty-five,” her husband said. “It’s not too late to take a different path. You’ve always said that you wanted to do something more creative. Why not take the chance?”
“I’ve thought about opening a yarn shop,” she admitted, “but that seems ridiculous.”
“Why?” a woman from the other side of the fire spoke. “I love yarn and finding a shop that offers good quality skeins can by challenging. There’s a market for it.”
Amy shook her head. “It’s not that simple.”
“You’re worried about what your family will think,” Jeff commented and then turned to the group. “Amy’s family are all attorneys—her parents and brothers.”
“And my grandfather,” Amy added. “It’s supposedly in our blood, but I don’t think it’s in mine. Even when I was in law school, I never really had fun with it—but it seemed like what I was supposed to be doing.”
“You could still try a different type of law. What about a tax attorney? Or corporate law?” Sophie suggested. “Teaching law at a university?”
Owen studied Sophie. Yes, Amy had said she didn’t like the courtroom, but it really seemed like she didn’t enjoy practicing law at all. So why was Sophie offering alternatives that the woman didn’t seem to want instead of encouraging Amy to change careers? He didn’t know much about Sophie’s upbringing, but she’d mentioned that her family hadn’t supported her choices. Amy’s husband was signaling his support, loud and clear. What was Sophie’s problem with this situation?
Owen would have loved if even one member of his family had believed in the choices that he’d made by joining the Navy and becoming a SEAL. They refused to acknowledge that what he was doing now had any value, too. It had been like that most of his life. He’d tried to be impervious to it, but it got him at times.
“It’s not just my family,” Amy said. “I spent years getting my education. I can’t just throw away three years of law school and passing the bar to teach people how to knit. It would be a…a waste.”
“Waste of what?” Owen asked and got a side-eye from Sophie. “If you’re not happy, Amy, make a change before you invest even more years into something you don’t enjoy. No one should feel sick going to work.”
“That’s true,” Amy said.
“And think about it this way, the sooner you get started on something different, the more time you’ll have to put into your new endeavor. I don’t know anything about yarn shops, but that sounds like a cool idea.”
Everyone else echoed what he said and added their own comments to encourage Amy. Everyone except Sophie, who had leaned back in her chair.
Jeff covered his wife’s hand with his own. “You can do this, babe. Call your boss in the morning and tell him that you aren’t coming back. I know it’s what you want in your heart.”
“It is,” Amy admitted. “Okay…okay, I’m going to do it.” She took in a deep breath. “I’m scared, but I also feel lighter.”
People offered their congratulations before heading toward their cabins for the night. Owen noted that Sophie said only a polite goodnight and nothing else. On the short walk to the cabin, she kept two feet between them. He’d gotten used to their shoulders rubbing or her hand in his. She was intentionally creating distance between them.
He went ahead of her into the cabin, flicking on lights and doing his standard sweep, before turning to face her. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She took off her sweatshirt and tossed it on the back of the couch.
“It’s something. Why did that conversation bother you so much?” That had to be it.
Sophie let out an exasperated huff. “Because she’s going to give up everything she’s worked for.”
“Yeah, because she doesn’t like her life,” Owen said. “Sometimes, you have to change directions. It sounds to me like it’ll work out for her. She has her husband’s support, and you heard him say that they’re fine financially. Why shouldn’t she do what makes her happy?”
“Do you know how many women do exactly what Amy’s contemplating and end up with nothing? What if her yarn shop fails? What if they get divorced? Will Jeff support her then?”
“They care enough about their marriage to be here. If she’s doing what she wants, won’t that make both of them happier ultimately?”
“You don’t understand.” She was gathering up her nightclothes from her drawer. They hadn’t bothered with pajamas the past two nights. The fact that she was pulling them out now sent him a clear signal. He pushed that aside and focused on what she was saying. He needed to understand Sophie’s perspective, and he didn’t think he was getting the full story.
“So explain it to me,” he said. “Is this about financial security or something else?” He thought she wasn’t going to answer as she moved toward the bathroom. “Sophie.” Something in his tone caught her attention and she turned.
“Do you have a problem with ambitious women?” she asked.
“What?” He was shocked by her question. “Of course not. I have a problem with people—men or women—being stuck in a role or a life they don’t want.” His family had tried to force him into that too often.
“That’s not what it felt like when you were encouraging her to give up her career. Yes, she has a high stress job, but that doesn’t mean giving it up is the right thing to do. Having a career, an identity…it’simportant.”
“So now her identity can be yarn shop owner. What’s wrong with that?”
