Chapter 12: Morning Light**
By six o’clock the following morning, the storm had finally broken.
Pale golden sunlight filtered through the large front windows of the Starlight Diner, catching the rising steam from fresh pots of hazelnut coffee. The puddle of water near the entrance had been mopped dry, and the broken glass from the night before was swept into the trash.
In the corner booth, Clara sat wrapped in a warm blanket, her face pale but serene, holding a cup of herbal tea.
Leo sat beside Elena at the counter. He had a bandage over a small scrape on his knee, and a plate of warm chocolate chip pancakes sat in front of him, covered in maple syrup.
"Elena?" the boy asked quietly, looking up from his breakfast.
Elena stopped wiping down the stainless steel counter and looked at him, offering a warm, tired smile. "Yes, buddy?"
"Is Papa going to come back?"
Elena knelt down beside his stool, just as she had the night before, but this time without the shadow of fear hanging over them. She took both of his small hands in hers.
"Your father has to go somewhere where people will help him understand how to be better," Elena said gently, choosing every word with care. "He won't be able to see you for a very long time, Leo. But you will never have to hide in the dark again."
May you like
Leo looked into her eyes, processing her words, and for the first time in years, the tension in his small shoulders melted away. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her neck.
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