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It has been my one source of joy over the last month Turmoil, sadness, loss, and pain have defined my existence since early December of last year

The company my father had worked for declared bankruptcy and destroyed the lives of the people who had worked there On the same day, my father, one of their former executives, disappeared with more than twenty million dollars in cash and we became the most hated family in Houston

We’ve moved to a new state, have assumed new identities, and started our lives over But today I saw on the news that Joseph Orleans, Dean’s father and one of Enron’s former Senior Directors, committed suicide

I had to call Dean I know he needs me It never occurred to me that he would blame me But, ould he not? My father is a suspect in the fraud, even though no charges in that respect have been brought yet He has disappeared along with money that was moved from his retirement account days before the stock became worthless

He looks guilty

But I know ht us that shortcuts were a waste of ti he said he couldn’t abide I just can’t reconcile that s it appears he has done

My heart breaks as I stare at the picture ononly threestraight at the camera with his crown askew on top of his head of shiny blond hair, his startlingly green eyes dancing His arup at hiht With his beautiful face, tall athletic build, and easy sirl’s crush

I wasn’t ho queen, but I was his date I’d been his date since our sophomore year He was so muchboard, and ht he’d beis ruined

His ry insults echo in my head and I pick up the picture, press a kiss to it, and put it at the bottom of my bedside drawer I can’t look at it anye that my life has beco I’ve lost

I hope one day, I’ll see hi I just pray he’ll be able to forgive me

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MyI'm consumed by emotions too numerous to name, but the only one I can process in this s were bad, I could feel Kevin drifting further and further away—fro