Chapter 6 - Building the Haven
Over the next six months, healing took tangible forms. My father’s recovery defied the doctors' expectations; through sheer determination, he regained his ability to walk with a cane and started speaking in short, clear sentences. Joanne completed her court requirements and became a fierce advocate for drug safety and senior health education in our local community.
At home, I knew I needed to transform the physical space that held so much trauma for my daughter. The edge of the woods was still a source of nightmare fuel for Maisy.
So, I made a plan.
I called my brother, who worked in construction, and together with a few close friends, we decided to transform the dark tree line behind our house. We cleared the thick briars, removed the sharp roots, and smoothed out the dirt path where Maisy had lost her shoes.
In its place, we began building a small wooden sanctuary right at the edge of the forest: a bright, beautiful treehouse with soft glass windows, yellow flower boxes, and a sturdy wooden bridge leading back to our deck.
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"What are we building, Mommy?" Maisy asked one afternoon, watching the frame go up.
"We are building a place of safety," I told her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. "A place where the woods can never scare you again."
