Chapter 20 - The Final Sunset
Five years later.
I stood on the edge of the new wooden deck we had built in the backyard, holding a spatula and flipping burgers on the grill. The summer sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the green lawns of the estate.
Little Leo, now a chaotic, energetic four-year-old, was running through the sprinklers, shrieking with laughter as our golden retriever chased him in circles.
Elena sat at the patio table, pouring lemonade. She looked more beautiful than the day I married her. The trauma of that freezing night had scarred us both, but like a broken bone that heals thicker and stronger, our marriage was utterly unbreakable.
Thomas Vance arrived through the side gate, carrying a bottle of wine and waving at Leo. He had become a close family friend, an honorary uncle to our son.
“Smells great, Marcus!” Thomas called out, setting the wine on the table. “By the way, I got a notification from the parole board today. They denied Chloe’s early release petition. She’s doing the full six years.”
I didn't even stop flipping the burgers.
“Good to know,” I said casually. “Elena, honey, do you want cheese on yours?”
May you like
“Yes, please!” she smiled, wiping a stray drop of water off Leo’s nose as he ran past.
They were gone. The past was buried. I looked out over my thriving family, the blooming gardens, and the warm, glowing house behind us. We had survived the winter, and the rest of our lives would be nothing but summer.
