He Erased Me From The Photo I Erased Him From My Life Chapter 07
After arriving in Denver, I checked into an airport hotel.
I had barely unpacked before I set up my laptop, updated my location on LinkedIn, polished my résumé, and sent applications to several architecture firms I’d already researched.
There was no wedding checklist. No one I needed to accommodate.
From now on, the only life I had to arrange was my own.
On the third day, I interviewed at a well-known design firm in LoDo.
The director flipped through my portfolio. “Why the sudden move from Chicago?”
“Family reasons,” I said evenly. “And I was ready to build my career in a city with a better work-life balance.”
He didn’t press, moving on to my project experience.
Through the glass walls of the conference room, I could see designers clustered around models, deep in discussion. People wandered by with coffee, their conversations open and easy. There were no carefully guarded cliques, and no one looked at me like I was an intruder in their space.
For the first time in a long time, I felt that being the new person didn’t have to mean being the outsider.
When the interview ended, I stepped out into the crisp Denver air. The sun was a little harsh, but it felt warm on my skin.
Just then, my phone vibrated.
An email from the interviewer.
“Natalie, it was a pleasure meeting you. We think you’d be a great fit for the role. Welcome aboard—we’ll see you on Monday.”
Standing on a street that was still completely unfamiliar, I looked up at the clear, bright blue sky.
The past hadn’t caught up with me.
And my new life had already opened its doors.