Chapter 7: The Ripple Effect
Healing is rarely linear; it comes in waves. A sudden thunderstorm on a Tuesday evening sent them spiraling back to that terrifying night. The booming thunder sounded too much like breaking wood; the lightning flashed like police sirens. Lily hid in her new closet, pulling Leo in with her, her breath hitching in panic. Sarah found them there, her own chest tight with anxiety. But this time, she didn't join them in the dark. She sat outside the closet door, cross-legged on the floor, and began to sing. It was an old lullaby, her voice shaking at first, then growing steady and strong. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..." Slowly, the closet door creaked open. Lily peeked out, tears in her eyes. Sarah opened her arms, and Lily collapsed into them. They held each other until the storm passed, learning that bravery isn't the absence of fear, but the choice to face it together.
