The Bargain

Samara POV

“Hi, I’m Samara, and I’m an alcoholic.”

The words felt heavier every time I said them.

I stood behind the podium, staring out at the crowd. Some looked uninterested, others looked distracted, their attention drifting somewhere else entirely. I couldn’t blame them. Everyone had their own struggles. Their own reasons for being here.

But then I saw him.

Amongst the sea of faces was a man who wasn’t looking away. He wasn’t checking the clock or waiting for his turn to speak. He was looking at me like he actually cared. Like he was truly listening.

That was the moment I met him.

Julian Blackwood.

The man who would become my guardian angel. My savior. The one good thing that ever happened to me in a life that had given me every reason to give up.

“It’s been one year today since I got sober,” I continued.

Everyone clapped, but it didn’t feel genuine.

It didn’t feel like they were happy for me or that they truly cared. It felt like a routine—something they did because it was expected, not because my recovery meant anything to them.

But I didn’t need their praise. I didn’t get sober for them.

I did it for one person.

My little brother.

“I guess I should start by saying that I never thought I’d be standing here today. One year of sobriety wasn’t something I thought was possible for me.”

I looked down at my hands, remembering all the nights I drank just hoping I wouldn’t wake up the next morning. Hoping that, maybe if I was lucky, I wouldn’t have to face the hell I called my life.

“For a long time, I thought I had to be strong for everyone else. I thought if I just kept pushing, kept pretending everything was okay, eventually things would get better. But the truth is, I was exhausted.”

That wasn’t a lie.

I was exhausted.

Exhausted from working constantly. Exhausted from having parents whose addictions forced me to grow up far too soon. Exhausted from taking care of them while trying to go to school and somehow becoming the person my entire family depended on.

I wasn’t just a daughter.

I was the provider. The caretaker. The person who held everything together when my parents couldn’t.

For a long time, I truly believed my life wasn’t worth living.

At least, that’s what I used to believe.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

“I have someone who depends on me. Someone who gives me a reason to keep fighting, even when I didn’t have one for myself. And because I reached this milestone, I can finally be with him again.”

That had always been the agreement.

Stay sober for one year. Prove I could provide a stable home. Then I could finally become his guardian and bring him home, away from that god-awful foster program.

I knew what it was like in there.

I had spent most of my childhood going in and out of the system myself. Growing up with parents who were addicts meant constantly being taken away from them, only to be returned when they promised things would be different.

The one thing I could say about my mom was that she tried. She would get sober long enough to convince everyone she was ready to be a mother again, and for a while, she was.

Then my father would pull her back in.

It was a cycle that never seemed to end.

I was fifteen when my mother became pregnant with my little brother. The moment I found out, I knew I’d have to get a job, because let’s be honest—they weren’t going to provide for him.

I refused to let him grow up the way I did.

If giving him a better life meant sacrificing my own childhood, then it was a price I was willing to pay.

So, at fifteen years old, I became the only provider for our family.

The weight of that responsibility was something no child should ever have to carry. I was supposed to be worrying about school, friends, and figuring out who I was.

Instead, I was worrying about paying bills, putting food on the table, helping my mother take care of Elliot, and making sure she didn’t relapse again.

That was when the drinking started.

At first, it was just something to numb the pain. Something to help me cope with everything I was dealing with. Then it became my lifeline.

It was also the very thing that took my brother away from me.

And why I’m fighting so hard to get him back now.

I looked around the room.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I know, for some people like me, it’s easier to do things for someone else rather than yourself. If you don’t have the strength to fight for yourself yet, maybe there is someone in your life who is worth fighting for—someone who can give you the reason you need to become better.”

I took a breath and looked out at the room.

“Thank you.”

Everyone clapped, but there was only one person who stood out.

His eyes had remained fixed on me the entire time.

I quickly made my way over to the refreshments table while someone else stepped up to the podium to share their story. I poured myself a cup of coffee, trying to ignore the feeling that someone was watching me.

Then I felt a presence beside me.

I glanced over, and there he was—the man who had been staring at me from across the room.

“I was hoping I could buy you a cup of coffee,” he said with a smirk.

“I was wondering how long it would take for you to approach me.” I raised an eyebrow and lifted my cup. “Looks like you’re a little too late for that.”

He let out a quiet laugh. “That obvious, huh? I was trying to think of an excuse to talk to you, and then I noticed the coffee in your hand... and completely lost my nerve for a second. After all, your speech was pretty intimidating. I felt bad for whoever had to follow you.”

I laughed softly.

“Well, it looks like you were the only one who was actually listening.”

“No, I’m sure there was someone in the crowd who was inspired by your speech,” he said. “But really... could I take you out sometime?”

I raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by how direct he was.

“Hmm... sorry, but I don’t date people I meet at AA meetings,” I said, swirling the straw in my cup. “It’s a rule of mine.”

“Well, now I feel like I showed up to the wrong meeting,” he said with a smirk.

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

“How about this instead?”

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a business card, handing it to me.

I looked down at the card in my hand.

Whitman & Sterling LLP Attorneys at Law

Julian Blackwood Senior Associate

“Would you be interested in working for me? I’ve been looking for an assistant.”

“Oh, thank you, but I already have a job,” I said, trying to hand the card back to him.

“If you don’t mind me asking, where?” he asked, ignoring the card I held out to him as he kept his hands tucked in his pockets.

I hesitated, suddenly embarrassed. Admitting to a successful lawyer that I was in my mid-twenties and still working at a grocery store wasn’t exactly something I was proud of.

“I work at Shop Smart,” I admitted.

“The grocery store?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I get a discount on food,” I said with a shrug.

A small smile crossed his face, but there was no judgment in it.

“Well, keep my card,” he said. “When you’re ready to start making real money, give me a call.”

I looked down at the card in my hand.

“You’re going to need it,” he added. “Especially if you’re planning on having another mouth to feed.”

“How did you know?”

“I just assumed from your story that was where it was going,” he said with a satisfied grin. “Looks like I was right.”

“Must be lawyer’s intuition,” I teased. “You must be pretty good at your job.”

“Oh, I’m one of the best,” he said confidently. “I’m actually hoping to make partner soon. Before long, you’ll be seeing Whitman, Sterling & Blackwood on the card.”

I gave him a curious look.

“One of the most successful lawyers at a firm is looking for an assistant with zero experience, whose current job is stacking groceries on shelves?” I teased. “Maybe you’re not as good as you think you are.”

A small smile tugged at his lips.

“Or maybe I’m good at seeing potential in people others overlook.”

My smile faded slightly.

“I’m not going to be someone’s charity case,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing I don’t believe in charity,” he said. “I believe everyone should earn what they have in life. But that doesn’t mean we should turn our backs on people who need a little help along the way.”

He looked at me, his expression softening.

“And I can tell you’re someone who has fought tooth and nail for everything you have. I admire that. That’s exactly the kind of person I want working for me.”

“But I don’t know the first thing about being a lawyer’s assistant,” I said.

“I’ll train you,” he replied. “And if you prove me right, I’ll even put you through school.”

“Why?” I asked, studying him. “Why go out of your way for a stranger?”

“Let’s just say your speech inspired me,” he said with a wink. “And I believe everyone deserves a fresh start.”

He handed me his business card.

“If you decide you’re interested, ask for Julian.”

As he turned to leave, I realized I’d never properly introduced myself.

“Oh... I’m Samara, by the way,” I said, extending my hand.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he took it.

“I know.”

I gave him a confused look.

“You introduced yourself up there,” he said, nodding toward the podium.

“I hope I hear from you,” he said before turning and walking away.

I watched him as he disappeared through the doors, my eyes following him until he was gone.

A few moments later, the meeting came to an end.

And that was how it all started.

The day my life finally took a turn for the better. The day someone gave me a chance to escape the life I’d spent years trying to survive.

The very next day, I called the number on the card.

Julian was more than happy to hear from me.

And for a while, my life became everything I’d ever hoped it could be.

I had a good-paying job. An incredible boss. And, most importantly, I got my little brother back.

For the first time in my life, I was happy.

I thought I’d finally found the life I’d always dreamed of.

I just didn’t realize how short-lived it would be.

Because before long, everything I’d fought so hard to build would come crashing down around me all over again.