Chapter 10 - The Sun over the Lake
Two years later.
The Rossi estate in Lake Forest was no longer a fortified military base. The steel shutters were gone, replaced by large open French doors that let the fresh summer breeze from Lake Michigan flow through the sunlit hallways.
Children’s laughter echoed across the manicured green lawns.
Nine-year-old Leo was running through the sprinklers on the grass, holding the leash of his golden retriever, shouting with pure, unadulterated joy.
On the veranda, sitting on a plush white outdoor sofa, was Aaliyah. She was holding a four-month-old baby girl—little Julietta—who was fast asleep against her chest, wrapped in a pink cashmere blanket.
Roman walked out onto the terrace carrying two glasses of fresh iced tea. He was wearing a simple linen shirt and jeans, his face relaxed, the dark shadows that had once haunted his eyes completely gone.
He set the glasses down, sat down beside Aaliyah, and gently kissed the top of his infant daughter’s head before leaning over to kiss Aaliyah softly on the lips.
“Leo got an A on his piano recital piece today,” Aaliyah smiled, leaning her head onto Roman’s shoulder. “His teacher says he might be ready for the youth symphony next spring.”
“He gets his talent from his mother,” Roman said softly, looking out at his son playing in the garden. “And he gets his fierce heart from you.”
Leo caught sight of them on the porch. He stopped running, waved his hand enthusiastically, and yelled, “Mom! Dad! Look what Max can do!”
Aaliyah’s heart swelled every single time Leo called her ‘Mom.’ It was a word she had never taken for granted, a title won not by blood, but by a love that had walked through fire, smoke, and bullets to build a home.
“We’re watching, sweetie!” Aaliyah called back, waving.
May you like
Roman wrapped his arm around Aaliyah’s waist, pulling her and their baby close against his side as the afternoon sun cast a warm, golden blanket over their home.
The shadows of the past were gone. The guns were silent. And in their place, a family stood whole, unshakable, and bathed in the light of a peaceful future.
