Oh to be loved

23

The decision had been weighing on Cillian for months—a quiet, persistent nudge in the back of his mind. The life he'd built in shadows, the endless cycle of danger and uncertainty, was slowly showing its true cost. Even in the relative peace of the cabin, every day brought memories of the past he'd hoped to leave behind. Amara, ever patient and hopeful, sensed it too. Over coffee in the cool morning light and gentle laughter shared in quiet moments, she'd planted a seed of possibility in his heart: the idea of a new life, free from the ghosts of his old world.

One grey, autumn morning, as the wind whispered through the trees lining the cabin and the fire outside crackled its dying embers, Cillian finally spoke the words he'd long resisted.

"I... I think it's time," he said quietly, his deep voice resonating with a mix of determination and apprehension. He looked over at Amara, whose eyes shone with both relief and excitement. "I'm done. I'm coming out of retirement."

Amara's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't an easy decision for him to leave that brutal life behind, but she had seen it in the subtle changes in his expression—those moments when the old shadows softened in the warmth of their renewed love. She reached out, gently taking his hand. "Then let's build something new, together."

In the weeks that followed, they set plans into motion. Cillian began disentangling himself from the remnants of his former world—a slow process riddled with difficult conversations and quiet confrontations. With every signed agreement severing old ties, every meeting that ended with a promise of new beginnings, he felt the weight of his past lift, if only a little.

Amara and Cillian scoured listings for a place that would be truly theirs—a home that reflected both safety and hope. When they found an old renovated brick house on the edge of a small town, with wide porches, large windows, and an inviting garden that promised sunlight and laughter rather than darkness and danger, it felt like destiny.

On moving day, the late-summer air was filled with a mix of anticipation and bittersweet farewells. Cillian watched, almost silently, as the last of the boxes were carried from the cabin. The cabin had been a sanctuary in its own right, a retreat from the relentless violence of his past, but it no longer fit the new chapter he was determined to write. Amara, ever practical and hopeful, organized the move with a gentle insistence that everything must be brighter from now on.

Standing in front of their new house—a charming brick structure with climbing ivy and a wraparound porch—they felt the promise of a fresh start. The old world lingered in memories, but not in the air they now breathed. Cillian leaned against the railing, his eyes reflecting the vibrant hues of the setting sun, and for a long moment, he allowed himself to truly believe in this possibility.

"I used to think safety was just an illusion," he said quietly, watching as Amara skipped down the porch steps to explore the garden. "But maybe... maybe a life without constant danger is something we can actually have."

Amara turned and smiled at him, her face illuminated by hope. "We have a chance, Cillian. A chance to create something real—a home where neither fear nor the past can reach us."

Later that night, as they sat together on the new porch with cups of steaming tea in hand, the sounds of friendly chatter from a nearby gathering in the town reached them faintly. In that moment, Cillian allowed himself to lean fully into the reality of his decision. The man who had once thrived in a world of violence and secrecy was now choosing a path of redemption, however uncertain it might be.

Amara rested her head on his shoulder, her fingers intertwining with his. "I'm proud of you," she whispered. "For leaving that life behind, for choosing us."

Cillian exhaled deeply, his gaze softening as he looked out over the peaceful street. "I'm proud of us, too. And I promise—no matter what the past holds, I'm done being that man. This is the start of something new."

As the evening light faded into a gentle darkness and the stars began to twinkle overhead, they sat in comfortable silence, secure in the knowledge that together they could face whatever came next. The old world might still whisper in the distance, but here—inside the sturdy walls of their new home—there was a quiet resolve and an unspoken vow that the future, however challenging, was theirs to shape.

And that was enough to carry them forward.