Chapter 10 - My Only Sunshine
That evening, a cool starlight fell over the coast of Maine.
The house was cozy and warm, illuminated by the golden glow of the stone fireplace in the living room.
I walked down the second-floor hallway, checking on the bedrooms. In the large corner room, three twin beds sat side-by-side beneath hand-knitted wool blankets.
Olivia and Sophie were already fast asleep, their arms wrapped around their stuffed animals.
Nora was sitting up in the middle bed, rubbing her eyes softly, holding her small worn blanket.
Grace was sitting on the edge of the mattress, running her fingers through Nora’s dark curls, gently humming a familiar tune.
I leaned against the doorframe, watching them in the soft light of the nightlamp.
Nora looked up and saw me. "Daddy?" she called out softly.
I walked in, sitting on the opposite side of the bed, and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders.
"Can you sing the song with Grace, Daddy?" Nora asked, her big brown eyes shining with sleepy affection.
I looked at Grace. She smiled at me—a smile that carried every memory of our journey, from the dark, blood-stained hallway of Long Island to the peaceful harbor of Maine.
I reached across the bed, taking Grace’s hand in mine.
Then, together, our voices rose softly in the quiet room:
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine... You make me happy when skies are gray... You'll never know, dear, how much I love you... Please don't take my sunshine away..."
By the time the last note faded into the quiet air, Nora’s eyes had closed, her long eyelashes resting against her cheeks, her breathing slow and sweet.
Grace and I stayed sitting there for a long time in the warm silence, holding hands over our daughter’s bed.
I leaned across and kissed Grace softly under the starlight.
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The monsters were gone. The shadows had faded. The silence that had once broken my heart was finally filled with love, laughter, and a family that had found its voice again.
THE END
