(Nathaniel)
I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I thought about the message and my mother's refusal to explain over the phone. Amelia had gone to bed after checking on Ethan twice. I stayed on the couch with my phone beside me until morning.
Ethan found me there before seven. His hair was messy, and he carried the dinosaur book we'd read the night before. He stopped when he saw me and smiled. Then he climbed onto the couch beside me.
"You really slept here."
"I told you I would."
"Do you want cereal?"
"I'd like cereal."
He ran toward the kitchen before I could get up.
Amelia appeared a few minutes later. She looked at me, then toward the kitchen where Ethan was opening a cabinet. I got up before he could attempt to reach anything above him. Amelia joined us and started mak
