Chapter 7 - The Long Road Back
The next two weeks were a blur of hospital visits, legal hearings, and quiet moments of healing. Emma made a full recovery, her bright, bubbly personality returning the moment the fever left her body. Ethan, however, remained quiet, carrying a quiet hyper-vigilance that broke my heart. He wouldn't let me leave the room without asking where I was going, and he constantly checked on his sister.
I made a radical decision. I stepped down as CEO of Vance Enterprises, appointing my trusted Chief Operating Officer to take over day-to-day operations. I retained my shares and chairmanship, but my time in the grueling corporate arena was over. My new job was my children.
I bought a new house—a beautiful, sunlit home with a massive backyard, far away from the city and the ghosts of the past.
On our first night in the new house, I sat with Ethan on the back porch, watching the fireflies dance across the lawn.
"Daddy?" he asked, holding a glass of apple juice.
"Yes, buddy?"
"Are we going to stay here?"
"Yes, Ethan. This is our home now. No more running. No more hiding."
"Is Mommy ever coming back?"
I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "Mommy is sick right now, Ethan. Not sick like Emma was, but sick in her mind and her heart. She has to stay in a special place for a while where doctors and people can help her get better. And she has to answer for some mistakes she made. But she loves you very much. Never doubt that."
Ethan looked out at the yard, a small weight lifting from his young shoulders. "Can we visit her?"
"When she’s ready, absolutely."
May you like
He leaned his head against my shoulder. For the first time in months, his body wasn't tense. "I like this house, Daddy."
"I do too, Ethan. I do too."
