Love Unbreakable by Bank Brook
Chapter 1687

Chapter 1686: Alternate Ending 5/10

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The trip Nicole and Jarrod planned with Austin came together quicker than they expected. After weeks of therapy and constant work on their relationship, they were both ready to take a break from it all and focus on what really mattered: their family. Their chosen destination was a quiet country house outside the city, a place away from the distractions of their daily lives, where they could reconnect.

The fresh air and green scenery were a welcome change for all three. Austin, excited at the idea of ​​being in nature, ran around the field while Nicole and Jarrod watched from the front porch of the house. Jarrod took Nicole's hand, a simple gesture but full of meaning. The days of awkward silence and distance seemed to be behind them, at least for now.

“It's nice here,” Nicole said, looking into the distance. “I think we needed this.”

Jarrod nodded, gently squeezing her hand. “Yes, we needed that. It’s easy to forget what’s important when we’re stuck in a rut.”

Nicole looked at him and saw something in him she hadn't seen in a long time: serenity. Jarrod, always so focused on work and his success, seemed more relaxed, more present. It was a relief for Nicole, who for so long had felt like she was losing him, not just as a husband, but as a person.

The days at the cottage were filled with laughter and quiet moments. Austin discovered the world around him with the innocent curiosity of a child, while his parents watched, recognizing in him a symbol of what they still had in common. Nicole and Jarrod found comfort in the little things: preparing meals together, walking the forest trails, telling their son stories before bed. It was these little moments that reminded them that, despite everything, there was still something left to fight for.

One night, while Austin was fast asleep in his room, Nicole and Jarrod sat around a campfire in the backyard. The stars shone brightly in the clear sky, and the crackling of the fire broke the comfortable silence they had shared.

“I was thinking about what we've been through,” Nicole began, her voice calm. “How far we’ve come, and how much we’ve missed each other.”

Jarrod agreed, his eyes never leaving the fire. “Yes, we've been through a lot. But I think in some ways it’s all made us stronger.”

Nicole smiled slightly. “Maybe you're right. Sometimes I think about how easy it would be to give up, but then I look at Austin… and I think about how much he means to us.”

“He’s what holds us together,” Jarrod said softly. “Always have been.”

Nicole was silent for a moment, taking her words in. It was true. Despite all their differences and the problems they had faced, Austin was their anchor, the reason they kept trying. But now, with all the work they had done, Nicole realized they were also rediscovering themselves as a couple, beyond being parents.

“But I don't want it to be just for him,” she said finally, turning her gaze back to Jarrod. “I want it to be for us, too. “I want us to find a way to be together because we want to, not just because we feel like we have to for Austin.”

Jarrod looked at her, and in his eyes Nicole saw a sincerity that touched her. “You're right,” he said. “Austin is important, of course, but I want to do this work for us. “I want to get back what we had, and I think we can do that.”

Nicole felt a surge of emotion at those words. For so long she had feared that Jarrod had emotionally disconnected from her, but now, she felt like she had him back, in a way she hadn't felt in years.

She leaned toward him, taking his face in her hands. “I want that, too,” she whispered. “More than anything.”

Jarrod closed his eyes as he kissed her with a softness that reminded her of the early days of their relationship, when everything was new and exciting. The kiss was long and full of unspoken promises, a sign that although they still had a lot of work ahead of them, they were willing to do what it took to find each other again.

The rest of the night was silent, but it wasn't the awkward silence it had been before. It was a silence filled with peace, understanding, a renewed connection. Sitting under the stars, with the fire crackling beside them, Nicole and Jarrod felt closer than ever.

…

The last days of the trip passed without incident, but were filled with small moments of happiness. Upon returning to the city, they both knew that not everything was resolved. They would still have to face the reality of their lives, their jobs, and the tensions that had previously separated them. But now, they felt they were doing so with a new perspective.

Back home, routine resumed, but something was different. They had learned to communicate better, to listen without judging, and to prioritize their relationship in a way they hadn't before. Jarrod began spending more time at home, and Nicole, for her part, stopped feeling so alone.

One afternoon, as they were picking Austin up from school, Nicole watched him run toward them, her eyes shining with excitement. Jarrod stood beside her, scooping him up in his arms with a smile she hadn't seen on him in a long time. It was in those moments, those little flashes of happiness, that Nicole knew it had been worth the fight.

They still had a long way to go, but they were willing to walk it together.

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