Chapter 8: The Phantom Alarm
Chapter 8: The Phantom Alarm
The true test of their fragile peace came on a rainy Thursday morning.
Toby was playing in the living room with his blocks while Clara prepared lunch in the kitchen. Suddenly, a loud, choking cough echoed from the hallway.
Both David—who had been working in his home office—and Clara bolted toward the sound at the exact same time. They collided at the entrance of the living room, both breathless, their hearts hammering in their chests, fully expecting a relapse of the nightmare.
Toby was sitting on the rug, a bit of cracker crumbs on his chin, having simply swallowed a little too fast. He looked up at his breathless parents with wide, innocent eyes. "I'm okay. Just a big cough."
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David looked at Clara. Her face was pale, her hands trembling slightly, completely braced for the blame she thought would follow.
Instead of retreating into anger, David took a deep, grounding breath. He reached out, wrapping his arm around Clara’s shoulders, pulling her gently against his side. "He's okay," David whispered, reassuring both of them. "We're okay."
