Chapter 6 - The Long Night’s Rest
Three days later.
The Starks estate in the Hamptons was quiet, but it was no longer the heavy, suffocating silence of a house under siege. It was the peaceful, warm quiet of a home that had finally been cleansed of its dark shadows.
The storm had cleared, leaving behind a crisp, golden autumn afternoon. The ocean breeze swept through the open windows, carrying the scent of salt air and fresh flowers throughout the high-ceilinged hallways.
In the master nursery on the second floor, the old furniture had been completely removed. In its place were two new, hand-crafted wooden beds painted a soft rose-gold, draped in crisp white cotton sheets and heavy down comforters.
Sitting on the wide window seat, wearing clean cotton pajamas, were Lily and Rose.
For the first time in ten weeks, the dark circles beneath their eyes were gone. Their cheeks held a natural, healthy pink flush, and their eyes were bright, clear, and full of life.
Sitting on the floor between their beds was Veronica, wearing a comfortable sweater, holding a large sketchbook on her lap.
"And then," Veronica said, drawing a animated charcoal line across the page, "the brave little dragon decided that instead of fighting the noise, he was going to build a gigantic pair of earmuffs for the whole forest."
Lily burst into a bright, musical laugh—a sound that filled the room like warm sunshine. "That’s silly, Veronica! Dragons don't wear earmuffs!"
"They do if the earmuffs are made of magic cotton!" Rose declared, leaning over the edge of her bed to inspect the drawing with intense concentration. "Draw the dragon with purple wings, Veronica! Please!"
"Purple wings coming right up," Veronica smiled, her fingers moving skillfully across the paper.
The heavy oak door opened softly.
Rory stood in the doorway. He was dressed casually in a gray sweater and trousers, his arms folded across his chest. The cold, lethal edge that usually defined his posture had melted away completely as he looked at his daughters.
The moment Lily saw him, she kicked off her blanket and scrambled off the bed, her small bare feet padding softly across the rug.
"Daddy!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his waist.
Rory instantly dropped to his knees, scooping both Lily and Rose into a massive, tight bear hug, burying his face in their soft hair, inhaling the sweet, clean scent of baby shampoo and safety.
"Hey, my brave girls," Rory whispered, his voice thick with an emotion he had hidden from the world for years. "How are my builders doing today?"
"Veronica is drawing us a magic dragon!" Rose cheered, hugging his neck tightly. "And we ate all our pancakes at breakfast! Even the strawberry ones!"
"I saw that," Rory smiled, kissing both of their foreheads gently. "You two are the bravest girls in the whole wide world."
He set them back down on the bed, handing them a new box of pastel colored pencils. "Why don't you two color the dragon’s wings while I talk to Veronica for a minute?"
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"Okay!" both girls chimed together, instantly huddling over the sketchbook on the floor, their laughter filling the room.
Rory stood up and signaled to Veronica. They walked out onto the sunlit balcony overlooking the expansive green lawn and the blue Atlantic ocean beyond.
