Although my anger for him remained from the words spoken the night before, I had never seen such an expression upon someone's face until this moment. I pulled him into the apartment by his wrist and locked the door behind him. As I rushed to the kitchen to retrieve the first aid kit, I heard a familiar cooing that felt phantom-like since I hadn't heard it in so long. I made my way around the counter to find a small baby carrier set upon the ground with my daughter's beautiful face looking up at me.
I dropped to my knees immediately before taking her into my arms. The smell of her skin, the feeling of her heartbeat against my own, and the chuckle that left her fragile yet present lungs had lit a fire that I thought had been extinguished the day before. Tears poured down my cheeks as Luke
