Chapter 19 - THE SUNRISE
The morning sun washed over the kitchen counter, glinting off the brass handle of the grandfather clock in the corner.
I stood by the window, holding a steaming mug of black coffee, watching the robins dart across the dew-kissed grass in the backyard.
Mom shuffled into the kitchen in her favorite floral slippers, humming a gentle melody from her childhood. She stopped by the counter, leaning over to kiss the top of my head.
"Big day today at the foundation board meeting?" she asked, pouring herself a cup of tea.
"The biggest," I smiled, turning to face her. "We're finalizing the grant for the new memory care wing. Thousands of families are going to get the support they need because we refused to back down."
Mom smiled, her eyes twinkling with pride. "Never doubt what you're capable of, Jessi. You built an empire from your bare hands, and you guarded this home with your life."
I raised my mug in a quiet toast. "We did it together, Mom."
The front doorbell rang softly—a gentle, normal chime.
May you like
For a split second, my muscle memory tightened, my fingers twitching toward my pocket. Then the tension dissolved completely. I wasn't waiting for an enemy anymore.
I walked over to the front door, turned the deadbolt, and pulled it open.
