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As I rest my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, I start to believe that maybe, just maybe, we can face whatever comes our way.
Together.
Chapter 21
Tyler
The Healing Power of Love
The days have rolled by since that heart-wrenching conversation between Sarah and me.
Despite the anxiety in her eyes, there's also a newfound resolve. I can sense it every time she looks at Timmy, with love that’s not just genuine but healing. She’s been a balm to old wounds I didn’t even know needed tending.
Sarah hums softly in the kitchen, and I can't help but smile as I watch her from the doorway. She’s been more at ease these last few days, though there's still the underlying tension about being the subject of town gossip. I step in quietly and slide my arms around her waist. "Caught you," I say softly into her ear. She leans back against me, no longer startled by my sudden appearance.
“Tyler, don't sneak up on me like that,” she laughs, though the warmth in her voice fills me with a deep sense of contentment.
“I can't help it. Seeing you like this feels... right,” I say, reaching for a piece of bread on the counter. "You and Timmy have bonded, haven’t you?”
Sarah smiles, the kind of smile that reaches her eyes and lights up the room. “He’s such a sweet boy. I love him like he's my own."
Pulling a chair around to sit nearby, I notice Mrs. Carolyn bustling in with a laundry basket. She pauses, watching Sarah move about the kitchen. Sarah catches her eye and gently nudges her. “Why don’t you take a break, Mrs. Carolyn? I’ve got this covered.”
Mrs. Carolyn hesitates, then nods approvingly. “Thank you, Sarah. I don't know what we'd do without you around here.” She exits the room, leaving me with a profound sense of gratitude.
“Do you realize how good you are with Timmy?” I ask, feeling the need to voice my admiration.
“I just want him to feel loved and cared for. It’s the least I can do,” she responds, with a tenderness that tugs at my heart.
“Sarah, you’ve done so much more than that. You've filled a void I didn’t even know was there," I confess, feeling a lump in my throat. "And honestly, you've become such an incredible mother figure for him. It's like you were meant to be here.”
Her eyes flicker with emotion. “It's still hard, you know, worrying about what people might say about us.”
I reach out, taking her hand in mine. “Let them talk. What matters is what we have—this bond, this family we are becoming. You're a part of us now, and nothing anyone says can change that.”
She takes a deep breath, her grip tightening around my hand. “Thank you, Tyler. I just… sometimes, it feels overwhelming.”
“I know,” I nod, bringing her hand to my lips. “But we’ll face it together, all of it.”
I help her finish setting the table for dinner, and soon enough, Timmy bounces into the room, full of energy and stories from the day. Watching the two of them interact, I feel a surge of happiness and pride. Timmy needed someone like Sarah, and I never truly realized how much until now.
Later that afternoon, we gathered in the living room. Sarah curls beside me on the couch as Timmy plays with his toys nearby. It’s a simple scene but fills me with peace and an overwhelming sense of belonging.
“Do you ever think about the future?” I ask Sarah, my voice low and thoughtful.
“All the time,” she replies, her eyes meeting mine. “I think about how we can make this work and be happy… together.”
I nod, feeling the weight of her words. “Me too. I think about the life we can build, the home we can have, and how we can face every challenge as a family.”
Sarah leaned her head on my shoulder, and we sat in comfortable silence for a while, listening to Timmy’s laughter and feeling the warmth of the budding home we were creating together.
“Tyler, do you think this will work?”
I pull her close, brushing a kiss against her temple. “I know it will. Because we have love, and with love, we can heal, grow, and face anything together.”
She nestles into my embrace, and for the first time in a while, her doubts disappear, replaced by the promise of what we are building together.
"You know," I start, adopting the soft, analytical tone she uses with her clients, "it’s perfectly normal to have fears about our relationship's public perception."
