“I need to make a statement.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, the silence heavy with unasked questions.

“I will look into it immediately, sir,” she said.

I hung up the phone and stared at the blue folder on the desk.

My heart was pounding, but for the first time in months, the fog in my mind had cleared.

I grabbed the folder, walked to the fireplace, and threw it onto the cold hearth.

I did not light it, but I knew its power over me was already gone.

I turned and walked out of the library, my footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor.

As I reached the grand staircase, I saw Lucas and Owen standing at the top, holding their stuffed bears.

They looked down at me with wide, innocent eyes.

“Are we going to see Claire?” Owen asked, his voice small.

“Yes, buddy,” I said, climbing the stairs to meet them.

“We are going to see Claire.”

I knelt down and pulled them both into a tight hug, feeling the warmth of their small bodies.