Chapter 7 - Healing the Untouched Heart
The seasonal rainy period arrived in San Diego, bringing rolling thunderstorms that rattled the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the mansion.
During a sharp crack of thunder, the power in the house cut out completely. Darkness plunged the estate into silence. Within seconds, screaming echoed from the girls' bedrooms upstairs.
Nora and Jonathan bumped into each other in the dark hallway, both holding flashlights. Together, they hurried into the children's quarters. All six girls were huddled together in Hazel’s large bedroom, shivering with fear under a blanket fort.
Jonathan sat on the floor with them, wrapping his wide arms around all six of his daughters. Nora lit a collection of scented lavender candles and placed them around the room, illuminating the dark with a warm, golden glow.
"Tell us a story, Nora," little Lena whimpered, clutching Jonathan’s shirt. "A story about the stars."
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Nora sat across from Jonathan and the girls. "Once upon a time," Nora began softly, "there was a sky that was so bright, people forgot that stars only shine when it’s pitch black. When the sun went down, the sky thought it was broken forever. But then, six little stars realized that if they held hands, they could make their own constellation."
Jonathan looked at Nora through the flickering candle flame. His heart, which had been frozen in grief for years, thawed completely. He realized he wasn't just grateful to Nora—he was deeply, irrevocably in love with her. And looking at the gentle warmth in her eyes, he knew she felt it too.
