Chapter 17 - The Safe Opens Again
On Grace's first birthday, Alfred took Mina into the old penthouse.
They had not visited in months.
The property was being sold.
Most furniture was gone.
But the floor safe remained.
Alfred opened it.
Inside was one object.
The original ultrasound photograph.
Mina stared.
“You kept it here?”
“I moved everything else.”
He picked it up.
“But this belonged here until we came back together.”
Mina touched the faded image.
This room had once represented everything wrong between them.
Secrets.
Fear.
Control.
Now sunlight poured through empty windows.
Alfred reached into his pocket.
Mina looked suspiciously at him.
“What are you doing?”
He lowered himself onto one knee.
Her mouth opened.
“Mina Higgins, I spent years telling myself I kept you secret because I was protecting you.”
His voice became quieter.
“The truth is, part of me was protecting myself.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“You deserved to be chosen where everyone could see.”
He opened a small box.
“I can't change how our story started.”
Grace babbled from Lev's arms near the doorway.
Alfred smiled toward his daughter.
“But I'd like to choose how the next part starts.”
He looked back at Mina.
“Marry me.”
Mina cried.
Then laughed.
Then cried again.
“Yes.”
Alfred stood.
“That's a yes?”
“It's a yes.”
He kissed her.
Grace clapped despite having no idea why.
Lev looked away, pretending something in his eye required urgent attention.
Mina glanced once more at the ultrasound.
May you like
The photograph Alfred had never been supposed to see had destroyed every lie between them.
And somehow, from those ruins, they had built a family.
