Chapter 9

It was three months later. The morning sunlight poured into the room through a sliver in the curtains. "It's time to get up, Mommy!" Heather leaned over the bed, her tiny hand patting my cheek. She was dressed in her bunny pajamas, her hair was a tangled mess from her sleep, and her eyes were shining brightly. "I have to go to school today!" she said, excitedly. I felt a slight twinge in my heart, realizing that it was Heather's first day back at preschool. Howard had prepared Heather's favorite sunny-side-up eggs and served them on our dining table. He was in charge of preparing breakfast since the incident. He had stepped down from his previous, lucrative but grueling job a month ago for a position nearer to our home. He had even stated back then, "I took a cut in pay, but seeing you both every day makes it a worthy trade-off." Heather had her hands wrapped around the glass of milk, taking tiny, deliberate sips. Our family was enjoying a profoundly cozy meal together around