One year after our ordeal, light finally returned to our world. Nora was a bundle of laughter and curiosity, toddling around our apartment with chubby, determined legs and a head full of soft curls. Her giggles filled every corner of our home, her bright eyes taking in everything with wonder. I cherished every milestone—her first steps, her first words, the way she clung to Ethan’s neck and shrieked with delight when he spun her around the living room.
Life felt solid again, grounded in small, everyday joys. The shadows of the past had faded, replaced by new routines and a sense of peace I’d once feared I’d never know again. Ethan and I had grown even closer, our bond tempered by hardship and loss and now made stronger with love and gratitude. I often caught Ethan watching Nora and me wit
