Chapter 19 - The Box in the Closet
Three days later, the storm had finally cleared.
The federal investigation into Julian Vance’s corporate empire dominated the morning news headlines, but inside our suburban home, the world had returned to a sweet, beautiful, ordinary rhythm.
Our three boys were out in the backyard playing soccer, their loud, joyful shouts echoing through the open windows.
I stood in the nursery, holding a pair of tiny pink socks in my hand.
James walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin gently on my shoulder. He looked up toward the top shelf of the closet, where that old, dusty cardboard box of newborn clothes had sat gathering dust for years.
"Do you want me to put it away?" James asked softly, nodding toward the box.
May you like
I smiled, reaching up to pull the box down onto the floor. I opened the lid, letting the scent of lavender and old flannel fill the room. I picked up a tiny, embroidered pink dress—the very one I had admired months ago when our world was still falling apart—and held it up against Maya, who was lying happily on the changing table kicking her little legs in the air.
"No, James," I whispered, leaning back against his chest as the warm afternoon sun poured through the nursery window, illuminating the bright, beautiful future stretching out before us. "We're never putting it away again."
