Chapter 10 - The Unbroken Dawn
A year later, the sprawling house that had once felt like a gilded cage was filled with light and noise.
It was a Saturday morning. The French doors were thrown open to the garden, letting in the warm summer breeze. I sat at the kitchen island, sipping coffee and reviewing the quarterly projections for the firm. The numbers were exceptional. We were breaking ground on three new commercial districts next month.
"Mom! Look!"
I looked up from my tablet. Mateo came running into the kitchen, his face smeared with dirt and a triumphant grin stretching from ear to ear. He was holding up a brightly colored kite.
"Dr. Reyes is here," he announced loudly, clearly, and perfectly. "She said the wind is perfect for flying."
Dr. Reyes walked in behind him, smiling warmly. She was no longer just his therapist; she had become a dear family friend. Mateo’s progress had been nothing short of miraculous. Once the anchor of Richard's oppressive presence was lifted, Mateo had soared. He was now top of his kindergarten class, an incessant chatterbox who loved telling intricate, wildly imaginative stories about dragons and astronauts.
"He's right," Dr. Reyes said, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "The wind is perfect. Put the spreadsheets away, boss. The company will survive an hour without you."
May you like
I smiled, locking the tablet and sliding it away. I looked around my home—my real home now, free of ghosts, free of deceit. I looked at my brilliant, brave son who had found his voice exactly when it mattered most, saving us both in the process.
"You're right," I said, grabbing my sunglasses and following my son out into the bright, open garden. "Let's go fly."
