Chapter 10 - The Horizon Restored
The quiet hum of the Pacific Neurological Institute’s research lab was a comforting sound to David Carter.
Seated at a sleek oak desk overlooking San Francisco Bay, he reviewed the latest clinical trial data streaming in from across the country. The numbers on his monitor were not just statistics; they were living proof of recovery. VTX-7 was officially entering Phase 3 clinical trials, backed by a permanent federal endowment and a newly established national registry that protected every family traveling with critical medical therapies.
The phone on his desk chimed softly.
David picked up the receiver. “Carter speaking.”
“Dad? Can we go get ice cream now? You promised!”
Leo’s bright, energetic voice rang through the speaker, filled with a vibrant health and excitement that still sometimes brought a grateful tear to David’s eye.
“As soon as I finish this last report, buddy,” David smiled, leaning back in his chair. “What flavor are you getting today?”
“Vanilla with extra sprinkles! And you have to get chocolate!”
“Deal,” David laughed.
May you like
He locked his computer screen, stood up, and grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. As he walked out of the office and down the sunlit corridor toward the courtyard where his son was waiting, he took a deep, steady breath of fresh air.
The turbulence of the past was finally behind them. The journey ahead was wide open, bright, and endlessly secure.
