For a family that had lived under the shadow of unanswered questions, the freedom to ask ordinary ones was becoming a quiet kind of victory.

PART 19

By spring, the boys were well enough to attend school on a gradual schedule, although medical follow-up continued.

They had recovered some of the weight they had lost and could join their classmates for longer activities.

They still became tired sooner than they wanted, and there were days when headaches or stomach discomfort interrupted their plans.

The doctors never promised that all the effects of the past eighteen months would vanish.

Instead, they offered a careful plan for monitoring symptoms, supporting nutrition, and helping the twins regain confidence at their own pace.