Chapter 15 - The Unbroken CircleLater that evening, after Emma was fast asleep in her crib—surrounded by stuffed animals, breathing softly in the warm glow of her nightlight—James and I stood on our front porch, wrapped in a fleece blanket, watching the snow fall over the peaceful street.
"You good?" James asked softly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to his side.
"I'm better than good," I replied, leaning my head against his shoulder. "I feel... safe."
"You always will be," James said, his voice carrying that same quiet, absolute authority that had saved us a year ago. "I promise you that, Sarah."
I looked out at the quiet neighborhood, thinking about how close we had come to letting toxicity drag us down, how close we had come to sacrificing our peace to keep broken people happy.
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Protecting your child isn't just about blocking a blow. It's about building a world where those blows never reach them in the first place.
James kissed the top of my head, and together, we turned around, stepped back inside our warm, bright home, and closed the heavy front door against the cold—locking it tight behind us.
