Chapter 12
Back inside the warm family kitchen, Clara prepared breakfast with Lily helping mix pancake batter on the counter. The yellow dress Lily wore caught the morning light, casting a cheerful glow across the spotless white marble.
"Mommy, is daddy going to bring us back a souvenir from his big trip to Europe?" Lily asked curiously. Clara laughed softly, kissing the top of Lily's messy brown hair with tender, unconditional maternal love.
"Your daddy brings us his heart every single day, and that's the best souvenir in the entire world," Clara answered. The front door opened and closed softly, signaling Ethan's brief return before his departure for the airport.
He walked into the kitchen, pulling both of them into a tight, lingering embrace that felt like a fortress. "I'll be back before you even miss me, my loves; hold down the fort while I'm conquering the Atlantic," Ethan smiled.
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They waved goodbye from the front porch as his black luxury sedan rolled smoothly down the gravel driveway. The American flag waved above them, bidding a safe and victorious journey to the protector of the estate.
Clara turned back inside, her heart full of peace and her mind clear of any lingering fear or doubt.
