Healing did not arrive all at once.
It came in fragments—small, almost unnoticeable moments that Mira only recognized in hindsight. Like the first morning she woke without panic tightening her chest. Or the way silence no longer felt dangerous, just quiet.
Still unfamiliar.
Still fragile.
But no longer terrifying.
The day after the court appearance, Mira woke before dawn. The apartment was dark, wrapped in the soft hush of early morning. Eli slept beside her, his breathing slow and steady.
She watched him for a long time.
Not because she was afraid he would disappear—but because she was learning what it felt like to simply exist next to someone without bracing for loss.
She slipped out of bed quietly and made her way to the kitchen. The kettle hummed softly as it heated. Outside, t
