Chapter 8 - The Return of Summer
Six months passed. The harsh Aspen winter melted away, giving way to a spectacular, vibrant Colorado summer. The mountainside around our cabin exploded into a sea of green grass and wild yellow sunflowers.
For the first time in an eternity, the Caldwell home was filled with continuous, unfiltered joy.
I hired a wonderful, elderly child psychologist named Dr. Avery, who visited the cabin three times a week. She didn't wear a white coat or carry clipboards; she played in the mud with the girls, painted watercolor pictures with them, and helped them process the trauma Vanessa had inflicted.
One sunny afternoon, I stood on the back deck, watching the four girls chase butterflies through the meadow. They wore bright, beautiful summer dresses, their blonde hair flying in the wind. Their tiny shoulders were no longer sharp; they were healthy, growing, and full of energy.
Emma ran up the deck steps, her face covered in dirt and a massive smile on her lips. "Daddy! Daddy! Look what Lily found!"
Lily came running up behind her, carefully holding a tiny, injured sparrow in her hands. "We need to save him, Daddy. He's cold and hungry, just like we used to be."
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I knelt down, looking at the tiny bird, then up at my daughters' compassionate, beautiful faces. They hadn't let the cruelty of the world harden their hearts. They had kept the sweetness that Claire had instilled in them.
"We will save him, sweetheart," I said, blinking back tears of pride. "We'll build him a little house, give him the best food, and keep him warm until he's ready to fly."
