bittersweet and delicate

~

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜, 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. Even then and there, Emmeline left her office with a list of charms she wanted to try on this one cursed object that had been haunting her for the last three days. If it weren’t for Andromeda’s voice to break her away from her thoughts, chances were she’d have gone on without ever noticing the people around her. Work at times did get to a point where the witch allowed it to consume her just a little bit. “Andy!” Finally the stack of papers in her arms was lowered. “Same old, same old.” The former Slytherin allowed herself a chuckle. “You know how crazy things can get in the ministry. Apparently there is this one item that they really need cracked in order to get their case finalized. Aurors!” Emmeline gave a shrug, hoping Andy would understand what she meant. There was nothing but respect for the trade itself but at times they could get rather tough to deal with.

“It’s good to see you, though. What brings you to the ministry?” The witch glanced around, not entirely sure how the other witch had ended up in that section of the ministry. Then again, it was a literal maze of departments and court rooms. About anyone she could think of had a chance of getting lost. She smiled as she turned back to Andromeda. “How about some tea? I think I could just about use a cup.” Andy looked lost. “Or perhaps a tour guide would help the situation?”

~

Andromeda tried hard to keep up with her friends, but it just seemed like they were all so busy that life kept passing her by. Between taking care of Dora, being a wife, and her job, she often felt incredibly overwhelmed and busy. She needed to make more of an effort to reach out to people, she knew that she was more than a mom and wife, but with her job being so demanding she often felt like she only had so much energy for other things. It didn’t help that she worried so much about turning out like her own parents, distant and shitty, that she overcompensated sometimes with Dora by being so present in her life. But she was glad that she had run into Emmeline now. She nodded her head. “I do know, we’ve been hearing plenty about things over at the Prophet,” she admitted with a shake of her head. “I think someone is going to be over here talking to the Aurors soon,” she shrugged her shoulders. “I wish them luck,” she laughed.

☘

Tilden smiled, happy to see how enthusiastic the girl was about the whole thing. It was exactly the type of reaction he was hoping for, and he was glad to see people liked what he was doing. “Nice to meet you, Andromeda, I’m Tilden Toots.” He replied. Her name sounded familiar, it wasn’t every day you met somebody with a name like Andromeda, and he thought for a moment about why it sounded so familiar. And then it hit him, “Hey - you’re Narcissa’s older sister, right?” Tilden hadn’t heard much about Cissa’s family, but she always spoke about her sisters with a great fondness. “I was friends with Narcissa, back in school. Everybody thought it was so weird, a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff being close. But…” He shrugged, cutting himself off. He remembered what she said about her family, that they were controlling and prejudiced. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to keep talking, he didn’t want to get Narcissa into any trouble.

“Oh, thank you! That’s exactly what I was going for.” Tilden grinned, happy to know the parents were enjoying his tent, as well. “I wanted something fun that would also help with skills that kids are going to need for school. Potions don’t come as naturally to a lot of kids, it’s a learned skill, so I thought it would be fun to have the younger kids have some practice, and it gives older kids the opportunity to identify ingredients they’ll be using during class.”

~

“It’s nice to meet you too, Tilden,” Andromeda smiled, watching as Dora appraised the potions. It took her by surprise, though, Tilden’s next words. You’re Narcissa’s older sister, right? She glanced back at him, her eyes widening slightly. It had been a very long time since someone had referred to her as Narcissa’s older sister. She supposed the last time that that had happened was sometime before Christmas the year after her seventh year, right before she left the family. A lump formed in her throat for a moment as she managed to nod her head. “It’s um...it’s been a long time since I’ve heard that,” she admitted, knowing that she was going to have to explain her odd reaction. But it was even stranger to hear Tilden continue on that he had been friends with Narcissa at school. She didn’t recognize his last name, which meant at the most he came from a family of no relevance, at at worst he was a muggleborn, like Ted. It was hard to imagine Cissa going against the family line. “My husband was a Hufflepuff to my Slytherin. So...I guess it runs in the family,” Andromeda forced a smile onto her lips.

She nodded her head. “You should consider doing classes for kids, I would sign her up in a heartbeat,” Andromeda encouraged. “I mean if this is something that you like. I can think of a few of Dora’s friends that would love doing something like this. And I’ll tell you as a parent, I’m always looking for things to keep her busy.” 

Andromeda had meant it when she told Sirius that she was going to have him over for dinner when she saw him at the Harvest festival. She worried about him often even though she knew that he could handle himself and that he was more then capable of taking care of himself. Hell, he had left the family before he had left Hogwarts. She appreciated his courage. Courage that she hadn’t had until she had had no other choice but to walk away from the family. But regardless, she was glad that she had him in her life, and in Dora’s life. Andromeda often felt guilty that Dora didn’t have a large family like Andromeda had had, but then she remembered how most of those people in her family wanted nothing to do with them simply because of her husbands blood status.

They were not people that she wanted around her daughter. Andromeda smiled when she heard the knock at the door from her spot in the kitchen, but before she could go get it, Dora was running to the door. “Uncle Sirius!” She exclaimed when she pulled the door open, a big smile on her face. “Mum! Uncle Sirius is here!” Dora shouted. Andromeda laughed and shook her head, coming into the living room. “Hey,” she greeted her cousin with a hug. “I’m so glad that you could come. Ted had to stay late at work so it’ll just be the three of us,” she told him.

Andromeda always got turned around in the Ministry, no matter how many times she had come there to interview employees for the Prophet. And the worst part was that they all assumed that she knew her way around there because she was there so much. But she usually found someone to follow out without making it obvious that that was what she was doing. But she had been wandering the halls for several minutes and she just felt like she was wandering deeper and deeper rather then back towards the entrance. She was worried that she was going to find herself somewhere that she shouldn’t be and the Prophet would be publishing a story about a reporter that got into something that she shouldn’t. 

Andy was relieved when someone walked out of an office up ahead. “Excuse me?” Andromeda called out and started to walk a little bit faster. “I’m so sorry, I’m hopelessly lost,” she started, but a smile formed on her lips when she recognized Emmeline. She had been behind her at Hogwarts, But Andromeda had always liked her. Thought that she was one of the good Slytherins with a good head on her shoulders. “Emmeline! I’m so glad that it was you that I ran into. How are you?” She asked.

Andromeda didn’t often have time alone, but when she did she loved going to Flourish and Blotts to browse all of the books. It brought her back to when she was at Hogwarts, and when things were simpler. She couldn’t say that she was happier when she had been at Hogwarts, but she couldn’t deny that it had been a simpler time. Things had seemed easier...she hadn’t had to make hard decisions at Hogwarts. She and Ted had been happy together, even if they had to hide their love from the rest of the world. Ever since she had run into Narcissa and Rodolphus, she hadn’t been able to get their conversations out of her head. She felt guilty for leaving Narcissa, for putting Bellatrix into that situation. It was her fault. But there was nothing that she could do to change that, she knew that. 

Ted had noticed that she was quieter then usual and he had insisted that she go take some time for herself. It was a nice gesture, but a part of her felt completely lost in her thoughts, which was the opposite of what she wanted. At least Dora and Ted kept her busy and that in turn kept her mind off of everything that had happened. Rounding the corner, she bumped into someone.

x

Normally she would have been right. It was natural for Rodolphus to be self absorbed and not think of others. However, when someone’s fate was so intertwined with his he couldn’t help but think of his wife’s unhappiness. “And what about your sister’s? Huh”, he asked raising his brow, a scowl ever present on his normally smug face. “Bellatrix?” The man let out a huff before drawing even closer to Andromeda, now only inches away from her. “Ever care to think about the miserable circle of hell you forced upon her? But of course not. You only ever think of yourself.”

~

“What do you want from me, Rodolphus? I’m tired of going in circles here,” She finally snapped. It made her feel guilty for damning Bellatrix to that life through her actions, but why was it fine for her to be miserable but not anyone else? Was it because she was happy? Because she had a husband that none of them approved of? “I hardly think that I’m responsible for your marriage to my sister,” Andromeda told him. “You want me to say that I’m selfish? Fine, I’m selfish. Happy? I did what made me happy. You can hate me all that you want, but it’s not going to change anything. I wouldn’t change anything if I had the chance.”

♔

In truth, Lucius’ problems with Andromeda were few. Rather, as few as the upbringing of being an only child and witnessing the chaos that ensued from the close-knit families could warrant. Extended family was something he was still getting used to since the Malfoys tended to have the heir on the first attempt. That and the one aunt he would have had passed away before he was born but the topic was one he tended to avoid since his father didn’t like to talk about her. He could bite his tongue about Andromeda’s indiscretion but it didn’t change the fact that he occasionally witnessed the fallout from it.

“That look lasted longer than interrupting your line of vision should have,” He stated flatly then glanced down at Draco. His gaze lingered a moment before flicking back to Andromeda and scanning the immediate area around him. “Did you run into Cissa?” The question came out lower than anticipated but it was a necessity due to knowing he needed to tread carefully. “Particularly unfortunate that he got my looks over hers.”

~

It was rather unfortunate that Lucius was rather observant. It was almost a surprise, but she supposed that Lucius had always been smart, even if Andromeda and Lucius had never seen eye to eye. She didn’t particularly have anything against him outside of the obvious fact that they had very different perspectives on things. She thought that the Malfoys and their elitist views were bullshit, but she had come from that background and left it behind. It was clearly possible to do. Some people just...didn’t want to. 

Did you run into Cissa. How did he know? Did she talk to him already? Andromeda bit down on her lip for a moment, considering where this conversation could go. She sighed. There was no point in lying to him if Narcissa was just going to tell him anyways. “I did,” she finally said after a moment. “I’m sure she will tell you all about it,” Andromeda spoke softly. She would certainly be telling her husband when she saw him. “She said...that she loves you. I’m happy for both of you,” Andromeda told him genuinely. She shrugged her shoulders. “He’s rather cute,” she told him.

—

Alice rarely talked about it. But leaving her family had been hard. Leaving those connections, and the stability she’d had. She’d lost everything. She was thankful for Frank and his Nana for taking her in. She really didn’t know what she would have done without them. But she’d survived, and she was grateful that she had been brave enough to leave. It had been hard, but she had made it. Alice hadn’t been able to see a life where she had stayed. She just didn’t have the same beliefs or values as her parents, and she wasn’t willing to live the way they wanted her to be. 

“My lips are sealed.” She mused, a smirk on her lips. “And you, a pushover? Never.” She added, shaking her head. The two of them might be considered soft, but they both had Rosier blood, and they were strong. “Hopefully soon….” She murmured with a smile .”When things aren’t so dangerous….” And when Frank felt better. There was no way they’d be able to deal with the stress of a baby right now. “The time will be right soon….” 

~

It was hard for Andromeda to remember exactly when she realized that she didn’t feel the same way as her family. She knew that she had formally realized it after meeting Ted and spending time with him, but she had felt the quiet rebellion before that. She just never imagined that she would be brave enough to do something about her different believes, at least not so loudly. It had been one thing to have a secret romance with Ted, it was another to publicly announce her love for him and to leave the Black family behind. She knew that she wouldn’t have been able to do it though, without Alice paving the way first.

“I mean I’m not Ted, Dora gives him one look and he crumbles,” she laughed fondly. She didn’t mind it, she loved that Ted was so sweet with their daughter. It was so unlike her own upbringing. She offered her a small smile and reached out to gently squeeze her hand. “It’ll happen when it’s right. If I were in your position I would feel the same way. It’s partially why we haven’t had a second. It almost seems...irresponsible, you know? But one day you will be an amazing mother. That I’m sure of.”

❦

Narcissa took in a shaky breath and wiped at her own tears again quickly. “You don’t have to be sorry,” she whispered, letting out a sigh and shifting Draco in her lap. “It doesn’t change anything that happened. You were just…braver than I could ever be.” And she admired that. But never in front of her family. She snuggled Draco a little closer to her for comfort, kissing her head. She really couldn’t help it if she held all of this against Ted Tonks…without him she would still have her sister. 

The question about Lucius made her tense a little bit, blood almost boiling. She hated any implication that Lucius was ever anything but loving to her, and she got those implications from people frequently. Usually those on the other side of the war who had no idea what Lucius was truly like. “Of course he does,” she said quietly, trying to keep the irritated edge out of her voice. “More than okay. We…we love each other.” They had both been a little hesitant of the marriage at first, but as soon as they had started to get to know one another, they both realized how truly well suited they were.

~

Andromeda knew that she had put her sisters into an impossible situation, running away may have been selfish, but it had also been the bravest thing that she had ever done. She had felt like she had no choice when she ran away, had felt like there was nothing else that she could do. “It doesn’t,” she agreed. “I can still be sorry for how things happened. I may not have had a choice but...I should have done things differently. I should have tried harder to see you. For that I’m sorry.” She knew her parents wouldn’t have allowed her to be near her sisters after she had made her choice, though, so there had been no point.

It was easy for to spot the way that Narcissa bristled at the implication of her words. It may have been years since she had last seen her sister, but she knew when she got mad. “Good,” Andromeda said softly. “I didn’t mean any offense, Narcissa. I just...I know that not all of us are so lucky to have husbands that love us. I ran away from a marriage that I knew would have been terrible for me. But I’m glad that you love each other. That’s what you deserve. That’s all I wanted for you, was to be loved.”

x

“Such a stupid and foolish woman”, he scolded her. Pulling another deep breath in through his nose the man huffed. Perhaps it was him that should be more grateful to Bella. After all, he could have ended up married to a witch who’d ruined a perfectly good bloodline. One who’d been willing to turn her back on everyone who loved her and follow a muggle over to a life of squalor. For what? Because he was the first boy she bedded? The more Andromeda spoke, the more and more the allure she’d had over him all these years began to fade. “So you turned your back on your family? On everyone you knew, on your sisters? You’re a coward. A coward with no sense of duty. There are things bigger then your silly little dreams, Andromeda. And because you chose to chase them, with no thought of anyone else, you’ve ruined lives.”

~

It was funny, hearing Rodolphus call her a coward. Of course he couldn’t understand why she had made the choice that she had made, to leave them all behind. She was fairly certain that, despite his confession of ‘loving’ her, he didn’t actually love anyone but himself. If he actually loved her then he would be glad that she was happy. Instead he had dragged her here to insult her and her husband. “You can call me a coward all you want, but I was brave enough to walk away from all of this bullshit. From the hatred that you and my family spew out about people like my husband. Good people that don’t deserve to have a target on their back because they had the misfortune to be born into muggle families. Why are my dreams silly? Why do they not matter? If I had married you I would have been miserable. I didn’t want that life. Why does that make me a coward? Why am I a monster for ‘ruining’ your life but you wouldn’t be a monster for ruining mine? Why should I have had to grin and bear it and be wildly unhappy? To save face? Well fuck that. I would gladly be someone’s cautionary tale then live a life that I didn’t want. I think you are all just jealous that I am happy while you are all stuck in your miserable circle of hell.” 

❦

Narcissa cleared her throat and looked down at the table, fiddling with the bottle of glitter so she had something that do with her hands. She blinked back her tears, willing the lump in her throat down. “You know…you may feel like you stayed away to protect me,” she said slowly, wincing when her voice broke. “But it was me who paid for the mistakes mother and father believed you made. All of that pressure…that pressure to be perfect that was always on me…it was suddenly even more than it had been before you left.” 

She paused and cleared her throat again as the lump in her throat suddenly started to become painful. She couldn’t start sobbing, and yet it was starting to feel like that was where this was heading. Taking in a deep breath, she slowly looked up at her sister. “I think I’m lucky they chose to betroth me to Lucius and not Rodolphus.” But Bella had gotten Rodolphus. In a way, both she and Bella had paid for Andromeda’s decision to run off. “I know you love him…I can see it. But…he took you from us.” She didn’t even care that Ted was a Muggleborn, that really didn’t make any difference to her. It was the fact that he was the reason her sister left in the first place.

~

It was me who paid for the mistakes mother and father believed you made. It broke Andromeda’s heart to hear those words. She had thought that leaving would make things easier for them, but it turned out that it had just made it worse. That had been her worst nightmare. They might not believe it, but Andromeda did love her family. If she had saw a way to have Ted and her family she would have fought for it. But Andromeda had felt that there was no path forward where she could have Ted and her sisters. 

“That...I’m so sorry,” Andromeda finally whispered, feeling a few tears slip down her cheeks. “I never wanted that for you, Narcissa. You have to believe me...I tried so hard, I tried to be good and to marry Rodolphus. But I just...I couldn’t do it,” she whispered. Andromeda felt so many conflicting emotions rising in her, she had no idea how to process any of them. “Does he... Does Lucius treat you okay?” Andromeda asked. She was glad that Narcissa wasn’t married off to Rodolphus. “Don’t hold that against him. His only misfortune was falling in love with me. He didn’t ask for any of this.” Andromeda felt protective about her husband, and she refused to put blame on him for the choices that she had made. She knew she made a mess of things.

–

The decision to leave the Rosier’s had been easy. It wasn’t that they been forcing her into a marriage that she hadn’t wanted. The knew life with Lucius wouldn’t have been too bad. But her beliefs and values just didn’t match up with any of them. And so she’d gone. Her life was so much better away from them, and she had no regrets. She was happy, and that was all that mattered. Of course, she had no idea if she’d have been happy if she’d stayed. But she wouldn’t have been being her true self, and she would never have been able to do that.

“Like you ever do that.” Alice pointed out, a smirk on her lips as she looked at Andromeda. She loved the banter they had. Andy had always been more like a sister to her. “They are….” She murmured, a smile on her lips now. “I can’t wait till I have one of my own…..” 

~

Andromeda sometimes wondered if she would have left her family if she hadn’t watched Alice l eave her family before her. It had helped some to know that one of her cousins had left the family and was okay. Of course Andromeda getting pregnant had been the final push to go ahead and leave, but it had helped, having Alice out there when she left. If Ted had sent her away that night that she showed up at his house, she would have gone to Alice next. After Alice had left she had had no choice but to cut her off, and she was just grateful that they had been able to repair that relationship after Andy had left.

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t let Dora hear that,” she teased. “She might get some ideas that I’m a pushover. The longer we can keep that quiet, the better,” she teased. Andy nodded her head. “You’ll be an amazing mother when it does happen,” she encouraged. “I’m not quite sure I would have made it through Dora’s first year without your support.”

x

“He’s a filthy muggle”, his voice raised even more then before. At this point his hands were shaking with anger. All they wanted to do was wrap around that muggles neck, take him from her like she’d been taken from him. With a huff from his nose, Rod stomped closer to Andromeda, his finger pointing to her. “I loved you. I-”, he trailed off looking at her in the eyes. There was still a fire inside of him, one that rolled inside him threatening to boil over but her eyes quelled his temper. If only just slightly. Remembering himself, Rod dropped his hand while he still spoke firmly. “Don’t you dare say that I loved the ideal of you, you’ve no idea what I felt for you! I loved you enough to willingly swallow your indiscretions, to take you in after he’s tainted you, to take in your bastard child, if only you would have told me! I could have made it right!”

~

Andromeda refused to back down from him, despite the fear beginning to build. She was stuck between wanting to rush away from him, but to also defend her husband. She froze when he got closer to her and said he loved her again. She had never seen him so angry, but it made her love her husband that much more, Ted was everything that Rodolphus could never be. Rodolphus thought that he was better because he was a Pureblood, but one day these people would realize that that wasn’t the case. “Ted is ten times the man that you are. You loved me, fine, I’m not sorry for what I did. You think that I’m tainted because I fell in love with a man that you think is lesser then you. Everything that you are saying is just more proof that I made the right choice. You never saw me for who I actually am. You never saw that I wanted more from my life then just looking pretty and attending to your every whim. I married a man where I am his equal. A man that I love and have loved since I was sixteen. Nobody has ever asked what I wanted. The only person in my life that ever asked me what I wanted was Ted. He was the only person who ever saw me as more then a pawn to be married off to you. So I ran away to the man that loved me and away from the man that would have looked past my indiscretions.”

x

He could feel anger churning inside of his stomach. The more she spoke. How could she tell him he didn’t love her? He’d loved her for as long as he could remember. Yes, he loved the ideal wife she would be. But he loved her, at least he believed he did. “How dare you”, he growled, officially looking his composure. “How dare you choose that fifthly little muggle over me! Me!”

~

Andy narrowed her eyes. She pushed down the fear as Rodolphus lost his composure, and she glanced towards the exit of the alleyway. “How dare I choose a man that loves me? A wizard that loves me? Fuck you, Rodolphus,” Andromeda spat, glaring at him. “Hate me all you want, but keep my husband and my daughter out of it. Ted’s only mistake was falling in love with me, don’t you dare talk about him.” 

—

Alecto wasn’t actually sure if she was going to buy anything here. It wasn’t her usual things. She liked buying from expensive shops. Her family hadn’t had lot of spare money when she’d been growing up and she certainly hadn’t been given it. And so, now she had her own money, and a lot of it, she chose to spend it in expensive shops. But this stall did have some pretty things. So maybe she would buy one or two things. 

“Right.” She didn’t believe her. She’d left the luxury of the Blacks, and she was sure no muggleborn was going to have enough money to match that. It might be easy to leave the family, but she lifestyle? Alecto wasn’t so sure it was that easy. “Oh. I just can’t be bothered to think of an insult. Would rather not waste the brain cells”

~

It was irritating, the way that people assumed that she ever gave a shit about her family’s money and all of the things that they could afford. Sure, Andy came from a family that she could have had anything she wanted. But it came at a high price. A price of marrying a man that didn’t actually see her, and a life that she didn’t want. She would trade all the jewels and galleons in the Black vault for her life with Ted and Dora. 

Would it be a lie to say that she had never liked all the things that being a Black provided her? Sure. But Andy had long gotten used to her new life with Ted, and she rarely missed it these days. There was something...nice about earning money that mattered. “Right,” she replied with an eyeroll. “It’s always so lovely to see you, Alecto,” she said sarcastically.

—

Whenever she spent time with little Dora Alice always wanted to become a mother even more. The desire was high. But the timing was just not right. Not when things were so chaotic and dangerous. She couldn’t knowingly bring an innocent life into this world right now. But it didn’t dampen the desire she had. But for now she’d make do with spending her time  with Dora.

“You don’t have a choice.” She teased with a little smirk. Of course, she didn’t actually spoil her too much. She didn’t want to annoy Andy too much. But she brought her things now and again. She needed someone to spend her money on after all. “Oh you poor thing.” She murmured with a smile. “I’ve only come now.” 

~

When Andy found out that she was pregnant she had been terrified. Terrified of being a terrible mother, terrified of what would happen, terrified that Ted would want nothing to do with her. But somehow things had fallen into place and she learned to let that fear go, and to instead just enjoy her daughter. That didn’t mean that it was always easy, most days were honestly hard, but she wouldn’t change any of it. 

She rolled her eyes. “Uh huh, I think I can take it away from her,” she teased, although she wouldn’t actually do that. If there was anyone allowed to spoil Dora it was Alice and Sirius. She sighed and nodded her head. “Dora was bouncing off the walls excited to come so we came for breakfast. But I mean, they’re only this little once, right?” 

x

Andromeda was right. He knew it, everyone who knew Rod would have known he never could have swallowed having a muggle as a daughter. “I would have tired”, he growled, his frustration growing the more and more he processed it. “I-I would have done it. For you. Because I loved you. I still love you.” Finally, Rod let go of Andy’s wrist to run his hand through his hair. He could feel his anger rising, and spun on his heel. Rodolphus pulled in a deep breath then turned back to her. “I would have done anything. Anything! If it meant you would have stayed!”

~

Andromeda was starting to feel very overwhelmed. She wanted nothing more then to run away and pretend that this conversation had never happened. But she had to stand her ground. I loved you. I still love you. It was news to her, and she had no idea how to process it. Frowning, she shook her head. “You don’t love me, Rodolphus. You love the idea of me. How could you possibly love me? You barely know me,” she told him. Andy was glad when he let go of her, and she shook her head. “I couldn’t stay, Rodolphus. It wasn’t...I tried, okay? But I didn’t want to...I didn’t want to be a trophy wife. I didn’t want to just stand there and look pretty and do everything that my mother did. I wanted more. I wanted a career, I wanted a family.”