Chapter 8 - Small Steps Forward
Toby didn't run, nor did he hide. He walked forward slowly, his small sneakers thudding softly against the wooden floorboards of the bridge. He stopped just a foot away from the kneeling man.
Without saying a word, Toby pulled the faded photograph from his jacket pocket and extended his small hand, placing it into Jax’s open palm.
Jax looked down at the photograph, then up at his son’s hopeful hazel eyes. The resemblance was undeniable—not just in features, but in the quiet resilience they both held.
"I’m sorry I was late," Jax said, his voice choked with emotion. "I spent a long time being afraid."
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"Mom said you’d come back if I kept the picture safe," Toby said simply.
Jax closed his hand around the photo, pulling the young boy into a gentle, protective embrace. The coldness that had defined Jax’s life for over a decade began to thaw in the warm morning light.
