Chapter 14
The advisory council became real three months later.
Five rotating positions.
Security.
Finance.
Territory.
Internal affairs.
Family welfare.
No hereditary seats.
No automatic role for spouses.
No authority over Lucy or any other child.
Andrew applied for the family welfare seat.
That surprised everyone.
Including me.
“Why that one?”
He shrugged.
“Maybe because I failed at it.”
Fair.
He did not get the seat.
A senior woman named Margaret Hale did.
Andrew accepted the result.
That mattered more than winning.
He later joined security planning in a smaller role and actually did the work.
No title inflation.
No dinner theater.
No child saying his name on command.
Elaine called the council weak.
Good.
That meant it probably worked.
Whitaker did not collapse because I allowed disagreement.
I did not disappear because Andrew gained responsibility.
Power stopped behaving like one chair everyone had to steal.
That helped our marriage too.
Slowly.
Not romantically at first.
Practically.
We learned how to argue without turning Lucy into evidence.
One evening Andrew said:
“I still hate that they chose you over me.”
I looked at him.
“Okay.”
He laughed.
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not angry?”
“Why would I be?”
“Because I’m supposed to support you.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You’re supposed to tell the truth.”
May you like
That was new for both of us.
Resentment spoken openly became less dangerous than resentment served at private dinners.
