My People, Your People

It's a long walk up the property back to the kitchen from the boathouse. Adam feels every step pulling on the back of his calves. Ten years they've been here, long enough for the cottage to become their second home. He never saw himself as a guy with a cottage. A guy with a rich wife, 2 kids, a summer home, a winter chalet and four luxury vehicles. But here he is. For now. The divorce is finalized in October. It's been a long time coming. Caroline separated years ago. Separate vacations, separate beds. Separate bank accounts. Hard blow to his ego, being a secondary bread winner. Intoxicating at first, being well tended. Having a sugar momma. Meant he could write all day. Play his guitar, do yoga, make movies. Then the kids. The shift in focus. Work dropped off and suddenly he's Mr Mom. No more all night jam sessions, spontaneous dates with Geoff and Gord. Or Caroline. There are expectations that come with marrying money. Accountability. Towing the party line. Commitment. Working for the greater good. Doing what you're told and keeping the family name afloat. Adam just wants to be an artist. Cory appeared last Christmas, newly divorced, back from the UK, to build a brand this side of the pond. Caroline moved out by spring. The girls are adjusting well but Adam knows there will be hell to pay when they hit adolescence. He's gotten great songs from all this. Solid backstory on his last indie feature. Now he needs something big to land, a series regular or lead. That way the girls can stay with him on better terms. He always feels worth more when he's working. This is the last long weekend up here. He assumes this privilege gets lost in the divorce. Cory having the property next door is the biggest tell. Still, Adam wouldn't change a thing. He's been places, seen things, lived a life he would never have deigned to imagine before Caroline. He knew he was punching above his weight class but Caroline loved that about him. Until she didn't anymore. The realities of rich white privilege run deep. Generations of belonging to the kings of industry. Falling in love with a self absorbed, compelling, fiery artist was fun ten years ago. Now it's time to move on. Grow up and settle down, really settle down. Throw her lot in with like minded Cory. Her people. Not him.

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