Irvin's POV
I smile as I watch my brother.
It's a smile that wells up from somewhere deep inside, quiet and overwhelming in a way that says everything words can't. I don't speak. There's no need.
Just seeing Barnaby standing there, whole and healthy, makes my chest feel like it might explode.
I still can't wrap my head around it.
Barnaby is better.
Not just clean. Better. There's brightness in his eyes. His skin has color again, his posture straighter, like he's finally dropped the weight he's been carrying for years.
The change is undeniable. It's not something you can fake. Not the kind you can hide behind forced smiles and empty pleasantries. No.
This is genuine. Barnaby is living again.
And I'm proud. So damn proud.
My throat constricts just watching him.
For so long, I thought I'd never see my brother like this again.
