A Mother's Gift

It was a waste to get excited about the meeting with her boss that morning. Charlotte was fired. As expected, her mother, Irene, was unsympathetic. She implied that is was Charlotte's fault. Charlotte promised her father, Jim, she would look after Irene when he passed away. Irene demanded Charlotte honor that promise and get another job immediately. Charlotte felt like her future was laid out for her.

A letter form her Aunt Alice offered an escape - two weeks on Vancouver Island. Of course Charlotte went, but it offered more than respite from Irene. It offered a chance to consider a life of choice instead of a life formulated by others.
Charlotte needed to be brave to choose the former. She wasn't and returned to work in Becker.

Another chance to choose was offered that came with surprises. Surprises that changed how Charlotte saw everything.
What would she choose now ?