Chapter 5 - Healing at Home
Two weeks later, Hazel was discharged from the hospital. Walking out of those sliding glass doors into the bright summer sunshine felt like stepping into a brand-new life.
We moved out of our old apartment and rented a cozy, sunlit house near the coast, far away from the dark memories of our past. I took a job as an administrator at a local art community center, surrounded by creative, kind people who embraced our little family with open arms.
Hazel’s physical recovery was steady. Her laugh gradually returned, bright and clear, filling the high-ceilinged rooms of our new home. Colton, who had carried the heavy burden of keeping that secret, finally began to act like a nine-year-old boy again. He joined a local youth sailing club, spending his afternoons on the water, his cheeks flushing pink with health and freedom.
May you like
Every Sunday, the three of us planted flowers in our new backyard garden. At the center of the yard, in a wide, circular wooden planter, we planted a massive patch of yellow daisies.
Yet, as peaceful as our new routine was, the impending trial hung over us like a dark storm cloud. We knew we would eventually have to face Dennis in court.
