Chapter 15 - THE WARMTH OF TRUE FAMILY
Two years after that terrible afternoon at the barbecue, we hosted our own backyard gathering—a small, intimate cookout filled with laughter, great food, and zero cruelty. My sister and her kids were there, alongside the loyal friends who had stood by us through the storm. As I pulled a fresh batch of fries out of the fryer and served them to my now six-year-old son, he grabbed a handful, smiled brightly, and offered the first one to me. Looking around our sunlit yard, surrounded by people who loved us unconditionally, I knew we had won. We hadn't just escaped a toxic family; we had built a sanctuary of our own.
