58. Mom's Mine
Michelle
That night, we stayed at my parents' house.
While Candace sleeps in my arms, her breathing is calm, and her small hand clutches my shirt, I quietly take out my phone and text Dylan:
"Are you awake?"
The reply comes almost immediately, as if he had been waiting for it.
"No. I was waiting for a message from my girlfriend. Is everything alright?"
His question caught me off guard. It's direct, precise, as if he can sense something is wrong.
"No, but it's a long story. Can I take the day off tomorrow?"
The silence that follows feels eternal. Finally, his response appears on the screen:
"Of course... aren't you going to tell me?"
I hesitated for a moment. I looked at Candace sleeping, her face peaceful, as if the chaos of the world couldn't reach her here. Care
