The next morning, Leah woke up early, the excitement of seeing her boys making it impossible to sleep in. She stretched in bed and glanced over at Richie, who was still asleep beside her. His arm was draped casually across her waist, his breathing steady and calm. For a moment, she simply watched him, feeling grateful for the life they had built together. Despite all the ups and downs, here they were happy, together, and loved.

Carefully, Leah slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake Richie just yet. She knew he needed a bit more rest before the chaos of the day began. As she padded down the stairs,...