The year passed quietly, like a river moving through land. Some days felt slow, stretching long and peaceful. Other days slipped by so fast that no one noticed until they were gone. Life did not stop, but it softened. It became something easier to hold.The house changed little by little. It no longer felt like a place that had seen too much pain. It became warm again. Alive.New paintings went up on the walls. Some were simple, just colors and shapes, but others held memories—places they had been, things they had seen. Chloe picked most of them, saying the house needed light.Outside, the yard slowly turned into something beautiful. Bella started a small garden at first, nothing serious. Just a few herbs and flowers. But over time, it grew. Iden took over the care of it, waking early to water the plants, checking the soil, trimming what needed trimming. The garden spread across the yard, filling empty spaces with green life.It felt like healing. Like something broken had been gently