Chapter 10 - A New Dawn
Six months later, the Morrison estate looked entirely different.
The heavy iron gates no longer felt like prison walls. The master suite upstairs was no longer locked behind a biometric seal of grief; the door stood wide open, letting the afternoon sunlight spill across the cream-colored curtains Lauren had chosen years ago.
In the backyard, two five-year-old boys were shrieking with laughter as they chased a golden retriever puppy across the freshly mowed lawn.
Kevin stood on the back patio, a cup of black coffee in hand, watching them run. He wasn't checking his watch. He wasn't staring at his phone for stock tickers or board updates.
Footsteps approached softly behind him on the stone pavers. A warm wool blanket draped gently over his shoulders.
"They're going to catch a cold," Abigail said, leaning against the railing beside him, watching the twins tumble onto the grass.
"They're not cold," Kevin said, smiling as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close against his side. "They're just making sure someone noticed."
Abigail looked up at him, her eyes bright with a quiet, hard-won peace. "And did you?"
May you like
Kevin turned his gaze from the sunlit lawn up toward the endless blue sky, where a single, brilliant star was just beginning to appear in the fading twilight.
"Yeah," Kevin whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I finally noticed everything."
