Morning crept into the house with a slow, golden warmth that brushed across the curtains. Before my eyes even opened, I felt the change in the air. It was not heavy like before. It no longer carried the sharp sting of old wounds or the quiet tremble that came from waiting for disappointment. It was gentler, almost like the lingering echo of last night’s calm.

I stretched slowly on the couch, my back cracking faintly from the awkward position I had fallen asleep in. The blanket Elijah had ...