Chapter 18 - HEALING THE SHADOWS
Two months later.
A light blanket of early winter snow dusted the rooflines and evergreen trees of Oak Park.
In the Carter living room, the broken patio door had been replaced with reinforced double-paned glass, and the old pine basement door had been removed entirely. In its place, Ethan had renovated the lower level into a bright, carpeted family game room with warm recessed lighting and walls painted a soft, cheerful sky-blue.
The thick leather belt and the silver padlock were gone, replaced by framed children's finger-paintings and family vacation photos.
Ethan sat on the broad cream leather sofa in his open blue denim shirt and Henley, holding a warm mug of coffee.
Across the room, seven-year-old Noah sat at a new wooden desk, his messy dark-blond hair falling over his forehead as he focused intently on his third-grade homework. His blue eyes were bright, his small posture relaxed and confident.
"Dad!" Noah called out, turning around with a big smile. "Look! I got an A on my spelling test!"
"That's my boy," Ethan smiled, his rugged face beaming with pride. "Bring it over here, let me see."
From the hallway, five-year-old Lily came bounding into the living room. Her left ankle was completely healed, her steps light and springy. She wore a bright red sweater over her pale jeans, carrying her favorite stuffed rabbit—which now wore a little matching red ribbon around its neck.
She climbed right up onto the sofa, snuggling into Ethan’s side and resting her head against his chest.
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"Daddy, can we build a snowman outside?" Lily asked, looking up at him with clear, happy hazel eyes.
"We sure can, sweetheart," Ethan said, wrapping his broad arm around her shoulders and pulling Noah into a side hug as his son joined them on the sofa. "Right after Noah finishes his last math problem."
