Chapter 8: First Words
Healing was neither swift nor linear, but the days began to find a gentler rhythm. Daniel started running at sunrise, channeling his restless adrenaline into five miles of pavement instead of midnight patrols around the living room.
One evening, while Clara was preparing dinner, Daniel sat on the carpet building a tower of wooden blocks with Maya. Every time the tower fell, Maya clapped her hands with delight.
Daniel carefully balanced a red block on top. "Look, Maya. It’s a castle."
Maya leaned against his shoulder, wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, and buried her face into his collar. "My Daddy," she said clearly, the words entirely unprompted. "Home."
May you like
Daniel froze, a warm rush spilling through his veins. He wrapped his arms around her small back, burying his face in her hair, and let a single, quiet tear fall onto her shirt.
---
