Chapter 17: The Unbreakable Bond
As Liam approached the blanket, Sarah looked up. Her eyes instantly filled with happy tears. She scrambled to her feet and threw her arms around him.
"Liam, thank you so much for coming," she said, squeezing him tightly.
"Try keeping me away," Liam chuckled, stepping back.
Mary stood up next, moving with steady, confident grace. She extended a hand, but quickly bypassed the handshake, wrapping Liam in a warm embrace instead. "It is so incredibly good to see you," she said softly.
They all sat down on the edge of the blanket, watching Grace and Noah clumsily interact with a set of wooden blocks.
"They're getting so big," Liam observed, watching Noah successfully stack two blocks before Grace enthusiastically knocked them over.
"Noah finally hit the fiftieth percentile for his weight last week," Mary said, her eyes shining with maternal pride. "The pediatricians are thrilled. He has no lingering issues from the smoke or the early delivery. He’s just a normal, happy little boy."
"And Grace is already trying to walk," Sarah laughed, brushing a stray curl from her daughter's forehead. "She's fearless. Which is terrifying for Alex, but I secretly love it."
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Liam smiled, taking in the scene. "You both look amazing. It’s hard to reconcile this beautiful day with where we were a year ago."
Mary nodded slowly, her smile turning thoughtful. "I don't remember much of that day. I just remember waking up days later and David telling me about the man who carried me down fourteen flights of stairs. I owe you every breath I take, Liam."
