CHAPTER 42 HIS FAMILY

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, the world around Michael quiet and still as he slept, his mind drifting through a dreamscape of memories and thoughts as his body healed and recovered. And then, as the light of a new day filtered through the window, Michael awoke with a start, his eyes blinking open to the sight of a sunlit room and the sound of a distant bird song. For a moment, he lay still, his thoughts disoriented and confused as he tried to remember where he was, the events of the previous days a blur in his mind. Michael's gaze shifted to the woman sitting by his bedside, her dark hair falling in soft waves around her face as she turned to meet his gaze, her eyes alight with relief and joy as she smiled at him. "Madison," he whispered, his voice rough with sleep as he tried to sit up, his body still weak from the effects of his recovery. She reached out to steady him, her touch light and gentle as she helped him to a seated position, her gaze never leaving his face