For all he's given us, don't I owe him this?
Besides, our vacations proved the bedroom is just another place we're extremely compatible.
Gerald tips my chin up, kissing me deeply.
I cling to him, dizzy.
Maybe this is exactly where we're meant to be.
After tucking a sleepy Yara into her massive new bed, I find myself drawn back to the window overlooking the moonlit grounds.
The day's events whirl through my mind—the opulent mansion, Yara's unbridled joy, Gerald's heated kisses.
My heart swells with hope, but trepidation lingers.
Can this be real? Have we truly escaped our past struggles?
I want to trust Gerald, to believe his promises.
But experience has taught me that nothing gold can stay that way. Because nothing is pure and everything is just painted with a fake coating.
Eventually, it starts to peel, leaving nothing but decay, disappointment and shattered dreams.
I wrap my arms around myself, shivering even though the night is warm.
In the distance, a dog barks, jolting me from my reverie.
No, I can't let old fears poison this new beginning. Yara deserves this chance at happiness.
I turn from the window, resolve steeling my spine.
The past is done.
Our future begins now.
Morning dawns bright and clear.
Yara bursts into my room, still in her new pink pajamas. "Mama, come see!" she cries, tugging my hand eagerly.
I let her pull me along, her enthusiasm infectious.
She draws me to the French doors and flings them open. Beyond lies a garden, flowers nodding in the breeze.
"Isn't it pretty?" Yara dances outside, her face upturned to the sun.
Watching her spin joyfully amidst the blossoms, I feel lightness in my chest.
No more dim, cramped rooms and rationed meals. Yara can be a child again.
I kneel and she runs into my arms. "We made it, little bird," I whisper, hugging her close. "We're safe now."
Yara looks up at me, eyes shining. "I love it here, Mama."
"Me too," I say, meaning it with my whole heart.
This is our haven, our fresh start. And I'll do anything to make it last.
Over breakfast in the grand dining room, I marvel at the spread—fruits, pastries, eggs and sausages. More food than Yara and I have seen in weeks, each item more flavorful than the last.