Chapter 10 - A Light in the Window
A year later, autumn returned to Des Moines, Iowa.
The evening air was cool and crisp, bringing with it the smell of fallen maple leaves and wood smoke from neighborhood chimneys. Streetlights flickered on along the quiet, tree-lined avenue of Megan’s residential neighborhood.
Inside their cozy home, the kitchen was filled with the rich, inviting aroma of homemade apple pie baking in the oven. Warm yellow light poured through the windows, casting a cheerful glow across the manicured front lawn.
Megan stood at the kitchen island, wiping down the clean countertop with a towel. She looked over at the dining room table, where Lucy sat doing her third-grade homework.
Lucy’s room upstairs was fully decorated now—painted a warm lavender color, filled with bookshelves, stuffed animals, framed photographs of family trips to the Minnesota lakes, and a solid oak door equipped with a brass lock that stayed open by choice, never by force.
Barnaby the dog lay lazily across the braided rug near the doorway, snoring softly in the warmth of the home.
The kitchen phone rang softly.
Megan picked up the receiver with a smile. "Hello?"
"Hey, Mom," came the cheerful voice of Officer Sarah Hayes over the speaker. "Just checking in on our favorite third-grader before my night shift starts."
"She’s doing great, Sarah," Megan replied, looking over at Lucy, who was happily coloring a drawing of a pumpkin. "She got an A on her spelling test today."
"Tell her Unit 212 sends its regards," Hayes chuckled. "Are you coming by the center tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'm covering the day shift at eight," Megan said. "I'll bring some apple pie for the crew."
After hanging up, Megan walked over to the dining table and sat down beside her daughter. She wrapped an arm around Lucy’s shoulders, kissing the top of her head.
Lucy leaned into her mother’s side, placing her pencil down on her notebook. She looked up at Megan with big, bright blue eyes full of peace and security.
"Mom?" Lucy asked softly.
"Yes, my sweet girl?"
"Do you remember when I was scared in the closet?"
Megan’s chest tightened slightly, but she kept her smile soft and reassuring. "I do, sweetheart."
Lucy picked up her plush bunny from her lap, cradling it in her hands, then reached out to touch Megan’s hand.
May you like
"I used to think the dark was full of terrible things," Lucy said softly, looking out the window at the quiet, peaceful night outside. "But now I know that if you call out into the dark, someone good will always answer."
Megan pulled Lucy close into a warm, protective embrace, holding her tight against her heart. Outside, the autumn wind rustled the leaves in the quiet trees, but inside the house, the light remained bright, safe, and warm.
