Chapter 19 - Evening on the Porch
That evening, the spring air carried the sweet, earthy scent of damp soil and blooming lilac bushes.
Elise and I sat together on the front porch swing, gently rocking back and forth as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant shades of amber, violet, and rose.
Elise was holding a small, hardcover journal filled with her drawings, short stories, and architectural sketches.
“Mom,” she said quietly, resting her head against my shoulder.
“Yes, bug?”
“Do you remember when we first moved here?”
“I remember every minute of it,” I smiled softly.
“I was so scared,” she murmured, tracing the edge of her journal. “I thought the bad things would follow us forever.”
I put my arm around her, pulling her close against my side.
“Bad things can chase you, Elise,” I said gently, looking out across our quiet, peaceful street. “But they can never catch you if you keep moving forward into the light. We built a new house. We planted a new garden. And nobody can ever tear this down.”
Elise smiled, a bright, radiant expression that captured the fading sunlight. “Because our foundation is made of steel.”
May you like
“And love,” I added, kissing the top of her head. “Mostly love.”
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