Chapter 29 - The Last Evening
On New Year’s Eve, just before midnight, Damian and Holland stood together on their front porch, watching the distant fireworks light up the Austin skyline.
The winter air felt crisp, clean, and full of promise against their skin.
Holland looked up at his father, his eyes sparkling with the bright, uninhibited joy of a normal eight-year-old boy.
“Happy New Year, Daddy,” Holland whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around his father’s waist.
“Happy New Year, my brave boy,” Damian whispered back, kissing the top of his head as the brilliant colors burst across the dark night sky.
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“We made it through the storm.”
“And we’re never looking back,” Holland added with absolute certainty.
