#Chapter 53: Day One

Lauren The first full day in Alexander’s house felt like a strange kind of limbo, like I was living in a version of reality that didn’t quite belong to me, or a memory being painted over. Abigail and I had moved in yesterday, but it wasn’t until this morning that the weight of it hit me. We were here. Together. Under the same roof. As a family. I remembered when I had wished, prayed, for tiny feet to fill the hallways between Alexander and I… who would have guessed after everything, that wish would come true? Fate has a cruel sense of humor, huh? I tried to shake the feeling as I stepped into the kitchen, the soft clink of coffee mugs breaking the silence. Alexander was already at the counter, his back to me as he poured himself a cup. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting shadows on the polished floors and highlighting the lines of his tall, muscular frame. He stood effortlessly, owning the space. His black shirt clung to his broad shoulders, outlining m