Chapter 244

• "We will guard them with our lives for the rest of our lives," Elsie said, her voice steady with a conviction that offered more comfort than any words had in days.
• "Thank you," I replied quietly, though the gratitude I felt ran deep. Ethan placed his hand gently over mine, his touch warm and grounding. He didn’t need to say anything for me to know what he was thinking. He understood exactly how afraid I was, how terrified I felt that this might be the last time I would see their precious faces. That fear had been lingering at the back of my mind for days, creeping into every quiet moment. I knew the odds weren’t in our favor. And I was truly, deeply scared that I wouldn't be coming back.
• I was scared that my children would grow up without me. That they would live their lives never knowing their mother. Just like I had grown up not knowing mine. That thought alone was enough to send my stomach twisting, but it also gave me strength. It reminded me of what I had to fight for. I had to push through that fear and channel it into purpose. Because they needed me. My babies needed their mother. And no matter how scared I was, I wasn’t going to let them down.