Chapter 10 - The Family We Built
Two years later.
The summer sun shone brightly over Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin.
The backyard of our lakefront house was filled with the sound of laughter, splash of water, and the delicious smell of grilled chicken drifting through the air.
Chloe, now ten years old, was running through the grass with her golden retriever, shouting with joy as she threw a tennis ball toward the water.
Sitting on the wooden dock at the edge of the lake was David.
He wore a simple linen shirt and shorts, his dark hair touched with a few silver strands at the temples. He didn't look like the most feared crime boss in Chicago anymore. He looked like a happy, healthy father. His surgical scars had healed into faint lines, but his smile was radiant as he watched Chloe play.
I walked down the wooden steps from the back patio, carrying a tray of fresh lemonade, wearing a sundress that fluttered in the soft lake breeze.
David looked back at me, his eyes lighting up with that same intense, breathtaking blue that had captured my heart ten years ago.
"Hey, beautiful," David said, standing up and walking over to meet me, taking the tray from my hands and setting it down on a nearby table.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close against his chest, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
"Is the food almost ready?" Chloe yelled, running up to us, her cheeks flushed red, her hair wild from playing. "Dad promised we could go out on the boat after lunch!"
David chuckled, dropping to one knee and pulling Chloe into a warm, tight hug, kissing the top of her head. "The boat is fueled and ready, princess. As soon as your mom says okay."
Chloe looked up at me with her big blue eyes—the exact same eyes as her father. "Can we, Mom? Please?"
I smiled, my heart overflowing with a deep, boundless happiness I had never dreamed possible eight years ago when I fled Chicago in the middle of the night.
"Yes, sweetie," I laughed, stroking her curls. "We can go on the boat."
"Yay!" Chloe cheered, running off to call her dog.
David stood up, keeping his arm wrapped snugly around my waist, pulling me back against his side as we stood together on the dock, watching our daughter laugh under the bright summer sun.
"Thank you, Natasha," David whispered into my hair, pulling me tighter against him.
"For what?" I asked, looking up into his face.
"For giving me a second chance," David said softly, looking down at me with endless love and devotion. "For saving my life in that hospital room. And for bringing me home."
May you like
I rested my head against his shoulder, holding his hand, feeling the strong, steady beat of his heart against my palm—the heart that was kept alive by the love of his daughter.
"You’re home now, David," I whispered. "We all are."
