Two months later...
It was a sunny Sunday morning. The sun shone into the library and there was a gentle breeze through the open windows as I sat on the carpet playing with Stefano and Zacharias. Leo was out working but Max sat on the other side of the room with the twins on his lap reading to them as we listening to the crashing of Cato, Mathias, Silas and Lili playing in one of their bedrooms.
But even still it was peaceful.
I felt like myself again and I was happy. I could be a mother to my children again and just simply enjoy life. The nightmares were fading and every day the hugs and cuddles with Leo grew longer as the memories of Andrea being touched could trigger became less painful. My progress and recovery was slowly and predominantly made up of the occasionally little step but we'd both agreed there was no need to rush it.
Just then the doorbell rang. Max looked up and stopped reading.
"Don't stop the story," I said. "I'll get it."