The girls wrapped their arms around him, holding tight. In that moment, something inside him settled. The ache he had carried for years finally eased.
A Saturday of Peace
Years later, on a warm afternoon, Michael sat in his backyard watching Ava and Lily splash in the pool, their laughter rising into the air. They were healthy, joyful, and completely alive in the world he feared he had lost.
His daughters were here. Growing. Thriving. Safe.
Michael stepped inside, opened a drawer, and found the last reminder of those painful years: an old receipt for the lilies he used to bring every weekend. He tore it into pieces, letting them fall silently into the trash.
That chapter was finished.
What remained was a family rebuilt on truth, patience, and unwavering love.
The next chapter belonged entirely to the living.
