Chapter 20
Chapter 20: The Unshakable Mountain
Spring returned to Santiago, painting the Sierra Madre mountains in breathtaking shades of emerald and jade.
Valeria stood on the expansive wooden deck of her home, a mug of fresh coffee warming her hands. The morning air was crisp and smelled of pine and rain.
Down on the grass, Mateo was running. He was nearly two years old now, his laughter echoing across the valley as he chased a yellow butterfly. He stumbled, fell onto the soft grass, and immediately pushed himself back up, giggling.
He was fearless.
He had no concept of the darkness that had almost claimed his first breath. He only knew the sky, the mountains, and his mother's arms.
Valeria took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the clean, cold air.
She looked at the towering peaks of the mountains surrounding her home. They were ancient. Unshakable. They weathered storms, lightning, and time, and they remained standing.
She smiled, lowering her coffee mug.
May you like
The silence around her was no longer the absence of noise. It was the presence of absolute freedom.
And as she walked down the steps to catch her running son, the unbroken stride of her life carried her forward into the sun.
