Now, you might be asking yourself why I didn’t get off that ship in Juneau and fly straight home.
Plenty of my friends asked me the same thing later. My neighbor asked. My cousin in Sacramento asked. The woman who cuts my hair asked twice.
I had a credit card. I had a passport. There were flights.
I stayed on that ship for a reason, and it wasn’t the buffet.
I had seven days at sea ahead of me. I had a phone full of video. And I had a family who believed I never looked at it.
I used those seven days to think like the other side.
That’s what you do in my line of work. Before you walk into court, you sit down and you figure out what the other lawyer is going to say. What they want. Why they want it. What they think you’ll do.
And in my experience, the other side never starts with the piano.
It always starts with an old grudge. Something somebody has been carrying around for years like a stone in a coat pocket.
In my family, there were three stones.
Each one was a time I’d said no.
The first stone was Norine’s.
On Friday, October 11th, 2019, at Grady and Darcy’s rehearsal dinner, she cornered me by the dessert table. Her divorce was going badly. Her husband had a good lawyer. She didn’t.
“Hillary, you’re an attorney. Could you look over the settlement for me? Just read it. It wouldn’t take you an hour.”
I told her I couldn’t.
We were about to be family, which made it a conflict. And legal aid didn’t handle divorces with property. It wasn’t allowed. So I took a card out of my purse and gave her the name of a very good family lawyer in Oroville.
“She’s excellent,” I said. “Tell her I sent you.”
Norine took the card. She looked at it. Then she looked at me.
“Too good to help family,” she said. “I’ll remember that.”
She did. For six years.
Ethan Blake is a skilled Creative Content Specialist with a talent for crafting engaging and thought-provoking narratives. With a strong background in storytelling and digital content creation, Ethan brings a unique perspective to his role at TheArchivists, where he curates and produces captivating content for a global audience.
Ethan holds a degree in Communications from Zurich University, where he developed his expertise in storytelling, media strategy, and audience engagement. Known for his ability to blend creativity with analytical precision, he excels at creating content that not only entertains but also connects deeply with readers.
At TheArchivists, Ethan specializes in uncovering compelling stories that reflect a wide range of human experiences. His work is celebrated for its authenticity, creativity, and ability to spark meaningful conversations, earning him recognition among peers and readers alike.
Passionate about the art of storytelling, Ethan enjoys exploring themes of culture, history, and personal growth, aiming to inspire and inform with every piece he creates. Dedicated to making a lasting impact, Ethan continues to push boundaries in the ever-evolving world of digital content.