Daniel had always felt lucky. As a geologist, he spent long hours studying maps, charts, and core samples, yet here he had what he called his “field site of joy.” A family. A home. Soil that should have been steady beneath his feet. He never imagined otherwise.
The day passed gently. Claire tidied the kitchen, humming softly, while Daniel answered a few emails for work. The boys ran in and out, their sneakers tracking dirt across the floor. It was noisy, messy, beautiful. Daniel thought, fleetingly, that days like this were proof of a life well lived.