Chapter 23 - What Should the Room Become?Five years passed.
Claire turned thirteen.
Teresa still worked at the estate, though fewer hours by choice.
Ethan traveled less.
Not because travel was bad.
Because he redesigned his work around the life he actually wanted.
The trust accounts were independently audited every year.
Household expenses above $25,000 required invoice-level review.
Property decisions involving Claire included a child-appropriate explanation and her input.
Boring.
Healthy.
The basement storage room eventually emptied.
One afternoon Ethan asked:
“What should we do with it?”
Claire looked surprised.
“Why me?”
“Because I want your opinion.”
“Storage?”
“Could.”
“Gym?”
“Absolutely not.”
She laughed.
Then looked inside.
“What about an art room?”
Ethan smiled.
“You used to love drawing.”
“I still do.”
They painted the walls.
Warm white.
Added a worktable.
Shelves for supplies.
Better lighting.
The heavy wooden door stayed.
Claire asked for that.
Ethan almost removed it.
She said no.
“The door didn’t do anything.”
That stopped him.
Same lesson as the ruler in another life.
Objects were not villains.
People gave them meaning.
The lock was gone.
The door could stay.
Claire chose a brass hook to hold it open.
May you like
Not permanently.
By choice.
