anwhile,
Back at Sanctuary Heights—
Dylan set the phone back in its place, his deanor calm and completely unbothered.
It was as if the call from earlier hadn’t affected him at all.
And perhaps ... it truly hadn’t.
His eyes shifted, glancing toward the two figures sleeping soundly on the bed.
The mont his gaze landed on them, sothing in his expression softened —subtly, yet undeniably.
The blanket draped over them looked slightly uneven, loosely gathered around their forms.
He noticed it imdiately.
Walking closer, he reached out and carefully adjusted it, tucking it around them with quiet precision —ensuring they were properly covered, comfortable and, undisturbed.
His movents were gentle. Unhurried.
Once done, he lingered for a mont, his gaze resting on them longer than necessary.
Then, without another word, he turned away and left the room.
—————
The next day—
Morning ca more comfortably than Adelyn had imagined.
It wasn’t the soft streaming of sunlight filtering through the curtains that woke her—
but rather ... a gentle, almost hesitant caress brushing over her brows.
Her lashes fluttered faintly before she slowly opened her eyes.
"Good morning, Mama," Eira’s soft voice greeted her first.
The greeting caught Adelyn slightly off-guard.
But as the mories of last night resurfaced —clear and vivid —she quickly composed herself. A gentle smile ford on her lips as she looked at the little girl.
"Good morning, baby," she said. Her voice was warm, while her hand lifted to gently cup Eira’s face. "Did you sleep well??"
Eira leaned into her touch almost instinctively, responding with a soft, content hum.
"Eira slept well ... with Mama beside her."
She paused briefly before tilting her head, asking curiously,
"Did Mama sleep well with Eira last night?"
The question might have sounded casual —sothing asked out of simple politeness.
But the eager glint in her eyes gave her away.
She cared.
Deeply.
Adelyn couldn’t help but smile at that.
Instead of answering imdiately, she pushed herself up into a sitting position before replying,
"Of course. Since Little Eira let hug her all night, I had a very very comfortable sleep."
Eira’s face lit up instantly as joy blood across her features.
"If Mama likes," she said, her voice bright with hope, "she can hug Eira and sleep every night."
Adelyn froze for a brief second.
Every night?
The idea ... was tempting.
More than she wanted to admit.
But even as that thought surfaced, reality followed closely behind.
No.
That wasn’t sothing she could allow to beco a habit.
No matter how much she liked the idea of keeping the little girl close to her every day, she couldn’t forget—
This wasn’t permanent.
Nothing about this was ant to last.
And she couldn’t give this child a hope that she might not be able to fulfill.
Not when she knew ... just how deeply her words affected her.
"Sweetie ..." Adelyn said gently, carefully choosing her words, "Mama can’t stay with you every night."
Eira blinked, looking at her quietly.
"Why can’t Mama stay with Eira every night?" she asked. Her voice was soft and innocent.
The simplicity of her question made Adelyn’s resolve waver for a mont.
For a second —just a second —she almost wanted to take her words back.
But she didn’t.
Closing her eyes briefly, she steadied herself before opening them again.
Her gaze remained gentle —but firm.
"Because Mama has work," she explained softly. "She needs to stay late sotis. And this place is far from where I live. Coming here every day would beco tiring. If I keep travelling back and forth like that, I’ll get exhausted."
Eira fell silent.
Her little brows furrowed slightly, as she processed the explanation.
Mama was busy.
Coming back would be tiring.
She couldn’t let Mama get too tired ...
But—
She still wanted to stay with her.
"Then ..." Eira said after a pause, her voice hopeful again, "can Eira co and stay with Mama?"
Adelyn had expected that.
And she had already thought about it.
Looking at her, she slowly shook her head.
"You can’t, baby."
The light in Eira’s eyes dimd almost instantly.
Adelyn noticed it —and it made her chest tighten uncomfortably.
Quickly, she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Eira’s cheek before continuing gently,
"I can’t bring you to stay with ," she clarified, her voice soft but sincere. "Not because I don’t want to. Trust , I would love to keep you by my side all the ti. Every mont."
She paused, then added more carefully,
"But I really can’t."
Eira didn’t interrupt.
She simply sat there, listening quietly —as though she was genuinely trying to understand.
And seeing that—
Adelyn didn’t rush her explanation.
She took her ti ... making sure every word was clear.
"Once Mama starts working," she continued, "she’ll be very busy. So days, I might co ho late. And sotis ... I might not co ho at all."
Her voice softened further.
"How can I let you stay at my place, waiting for every day ... when I don’t even know if I’ll be able to co back?"
Eira looked at her, her expression thoughtful.
"Will Mama really be that busy?" she asked.
Adelyn nodded gently.
"Yes."
Eira’s gaze dropped slightly.
"Then ... does that an Eira won’t be able to et Mama often?"
The sadness in her voice was unmistakable.
Adelyn’s heart clenched again.
"No, not often ..." she corrected quickly, "but not rarely either."
Eira looked back at her, confusion flickering in her eyes —clearly waiting for her to explain.
Adelyn smiled softly.
"I might not be able to see you every day ..." she said, "but, I’ll still try my best to find ti to visit you."
"You can do that?" Eira asked, her voice carrying a small spark of hope again.
Adelyn nodded.
"Of course, I can. Whenever you miss , just send a text —and I’ll try my best to co to you. No matter what."
Eira’s eyes brightened instantly.
"Really?"
Adelyn extended her little finger toward her.
Eira looked at it for a mont before hooking her own finger around it.
Adelyn gently pressed their thumbs together.
"I promise," she said.
Eira stared at their joined hands, as if sealing that mont deep in her heart.
"As long as Eira wants to et ," Adelyn added softly, "I’ll find ti to co."
Just like that—
The sadness disappeared.
In its place, excitent blood again.
"Then does that an," Eira asked eagerly, "Eira can send you texts every day? Will you reply to them?"
Adelyn paused for a brief mont.
Then she smiled.
"Why wouldn’t I?" she said, gently. "As long as it’ll be from you, I’ll reply imdiately."
With that, she didn’t wait. She reached for her phone from the side.
"Wait," she added, "I’ll add you right now."
But the mont she tried to turn it on—
She paused.
The screen remained completely black.
Her brows furrowed.
Her phone...
Why was it switched off?
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