The following days were a whirlwind of appointments and anxiety. The house, once filled with the warmth of shared moments and laughter, felt colder, as if the walls themselves sensed the unease between them. Tim, innocent to the turmoil around him, continued to play and laugh, his joy a stark contrast to the tension that thickened the air.

Sarah watched John closely, hoping to catch a glimpse of the certainty she feared they were losing. She yearned for the day when this ordeal would be behind them, when she could once again look at him without seeing the doubt that had taken root.