Chapter 10 - THE WARM ROOM
One year later. Christmas Eve.
The Aspen mansion was unrecognizable from the cold, sterile place it had once been. The halls were strung with thick garlands of pine and twinkling fairy lights. The smell of roasting turkey, cinnamon, and fresh pine needles filled the air.
Nathan stood in the doorway of the family dining room—the room that had once held only terror and moldy bread.
Now, the grand oak table was covered in a feast. Mashed potatoes, warm bread rolls, cranberry sauce, and a massive turkey. But the best part of the room was the noise.
Emma, Lily, Sophie, and Grace were six years old, rosy-cheeked, and vibrating with joy. They wore matching red velvet dresses, laughing uproariously as they chased a golden retriever puppy around the table. They were healthy. They were safe. They were children.
"You're staring again," a soft voice said beside him.
Nathan turned to see Sarah. She wasn't just Dr. Jenkins anymore. She was wearing a gorgeous emerald green dress, a diamond ring sparkling softly on her left hand.
Nathan smiled, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "I'm just making sure it's real."
"It's real," Sarah promised, resting her head on his chest.
"Daddy! Sarah!" Emma yelled, pointing at the clock. "It's time to open one present! You promised!"
"We promised!" Lily and Sophie echoed.
Nathan laughed, a deep, genuine sound that belonged to a man whose soul had finally healed. "Alright, alright! Let's go to the tree!"
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As they walked into the living room, surrounded by the warmth of the fire and the laughter of his daughters, Nathan looked at the old oak door of the dining room. He remembered Claire’s words. Children should always know where the warm room is.
He had finally brought them back to the warm room. And he would spend the rest of his life making sure the cold never touched them again.
