Chapter 15 - The Road Back
The storm had passed by the time they hit the interstate, leaving the asphalt slick and reflective under the headlights. Inside the SUV, the heater hummed a steady, comforting tune.
Eleanor glanced in the rearview mirror. Sarah and Lily were asleep in the backseat. Lily was curled tightly against Sarah’s side, and Sarah’s arm was wrapped protectively around her little sister, her chin resting on Lily’s head. Even in sleep, they held onto each other as if afraid to let go.
For the first time in Eleanor’s hyper-focused, aggressively successful life, her chest felt entirely full. She had spent decades building an empire, accumulating wealth, and buying sprawling estates to fill the void left by her sister Maya. None of it had worked. Her mansion had remained cold and echoing.
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Now, looking at the two sleeping girls in the back of her car, Eleanor realized that the empty rooms of her estate were finally going to have a purpose. The silence in the car wasn't heavy or tense; it was the quiet, healing peace of a family that had finally been stitched back together.
Eleanor turned her eyes back to the dark highway, a small, genuine smile playing on her lips as she drove them home.
