Chapter 7 - The Drawing
The turbulence lasted twenty terrifying minutes before the aircraft finally smoothed into serene cruising altitude again. The tension dissipated, leaving the cabin washed in collective relief.
Maya sat back, her breathing steadying. She looked down at the paper she had clutched tightly against her chest throughout the drops. The edges were crumpled, but the drawing was intact.
She handed it to Julian.
It was a sketch of Julian and Leo. In the drawing, Julian didn't look tired or helpless. Maya had drawn him with broad, protective shoulders, holding the baby with absolute tenderness. Above them, drawn with faint, delicate pencil lines, was the faint silhouette of a smiling woman with gentle eyes.
Julian’s breath caught in his throat. "Maya... who is this above us?"
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"I don't know," Maya said simply. "I just felt someone watching over you while he was crying. She looked happy that you were holding him close."
Julian covered his mouth with his hand, weeping quietly so he wouldn't disturb his son. For the first time in ninety days, the hollow, suffocating grief inside his chest shifted, making room for something pure and warm. It was grace.
