Page 81 of Shattered Echoes

"Okay," he says, his voice steady once more. "We'll be waiting for you, Antonio. All of us." With a final, firm squeeze of my shoulder, Leo turns and walks back to the car.

I watch him go, my heart heavy yet somehow lighter than it's been in months. I know the road ahead will be long and arduous. I know there will be days when the cravings will feel unbearable, when the guilt and shame will threaten to drown me.

But I also know that I have something to fight for now. A brother who, despite everything, hasn't given up on me. A woman who trusts me, who sees beyond my broken parts to the man I can become. And a child, my child, who deserves a father they can be proud of.

As I turn to face the rehab facility, my eyes trace the long, imposing walls that will be my home for the next year. But instead of seeing them as a prison, I see them as a forge—a place where I can be broken down, reshaped, and tempered into something stronger.

I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp morning air. In this moment, standing on the threshold between my old life and whatever comes next, I make a solemn vow to myself, to Colette, to our unborn child—I will get better. I will become the man you all believe I can be. And when I emerge from this place, I will be ready—ready to love, to protect, to nurture.

Ready to be a father.

With that promise etched in my heart, I take my first steps into rehab, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead. The journey to recovery starts now, and this time, I'm determined to see it through to the end.

27

Colette

"What do you think your father would say if he could see us now, little one?" I murmur, my fingers tracing the curve of my swollen belly in a tender caress. A soft kick answers my rhetorical question, and I can't help but laugh, a rich, melodic sound that fills the room with warmth.

" He'd be in awe of you," I whisper, patting my belly gently.

Antonio's latest letter rests in my hands as I gaze down at the familiar scrawl, each word etched into the paper like an indelible promise. My fingers trace the curves and lines, as though I could feel the depth of his feelings through touch alone. A soft smile tugs at my lips as I think about it.

It's been four months since he entered rehab. Four months of waiting, of hoping, of clinging to these precious missives as if they were lifelines tethering me to him. And in a way, they are, with each letter, each heartfelt outpouring of emotion. I can feel him growing stronger, more resolute in his determination to heal.

A soft kick from within my womb draws my attention downward, my free hand cradling the swell of my belly with a tenderness I knew I possessed. "Your father is fighting for us," I whisper, my voice soft as a breeze in the quiet solitude of my room. "He's going to come back to us. I just know it."

The doubts still linger, of course, like dark clouds on the horizon—the fear that he'll falter, that the demons of his past will prove too strong. But I push them aside, choosing instead to focus on the faith that burns bright within my heart. Faith in Antonio, in his resilience, in his love for us.

With a contented sigh, I shift on the plush chaise lounge, letting the soft fabric cradle my growing form as I turn my attention back to Antonio's letter. The words seem to leap off the page, his emotions laid bare in the flowing script.

Dear Colette,

They allowed me to watch the Discovery Channel yesterday.

Something about a honey badger. I bet you didn’t know.

that honey badgers could defend themselves from animals

much larger than themselves, like hyenas and lions.

They are even more dangerous when protecting their young.

While watching that show, all I could think of was just how

much you have in common with a honey badger. Crazy, right?

Truth is, there’s no one else in the world I’d rather experience

this with. The baby, everything. I can’t wait, Col. It’s the one

thing that keeps me going, and I can’t wait to be with you again.

It feels like an eternity.

I also started writing music again. I know, I know, long overdue.

But I feel great. Better than I’ve felt in ages. All of this.

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