My phone pinged with an alarm, reminding me of the time, and I carefully placed the note in my nightstand drawer before sliding off the bed and starting my day.
I wanted to spend more than just the evenings with Shade, but I liked my job too much to take a sick day. My kids were a big part of my world, and I loved spending time with them, even if I'd been a tad distracted lately.
Maybe if I closed the bathroom up tight, I could go to Shade's after work and spend the night, and then he could drop me off here in the morning with his shadows. Or I could just pack an overnight bag and change at his place and then walk to the bus stop. The bus stop was in the opposite direction from the Sanctuary, so I would have to walk a little further, but I didn't mind.
My phone chirped again, and I shook my head, deciding I'd make plans later.
At work, my students kept me engaged and distracted all day, even during my lunch break since it was my turn to spend it with the kids. Jess and I alternated while making our students have lunch in one room, and once a week, the PE teacher, a sweet but strict woman named Sonia, sat with the kids while the two of us escaped to the lunch room together. We'd told her it was so we could talk about our lesson plans and work stuff, but we mostly ended up gossiping and discussing everything except work.
By the time I got home, I was too tired to do much of anything. Shade came over again, but when he saw my wet noodle state, he went back and got some dinner for us from the Sanctuary kitchen, and we ate on my bed as I leaned against him, too tired to even sit up straight.
I listened while Shade talked, telling me about Liam and Haruto's wedding arrangements and how Liam constantly seemed to be oscillating between crazed excitement and utter despondence, mostly when he imagined all the things that could go wrong, including but not limited to Dustin—another human Sanctuary resident who was almost eight months pregnant with a baby naga—going into labor during the ceremony. He didn't push me to talk at all, as if he could sense how tired I was.
Afterward, he put our empty dishes aside to take back later, then waited while I did my business in the bathroom before dragging me against his chest and curling up around me, his shadows sliding over me like the world's silkiest, lightest blanket.
I fell asleep with a smile on my face, and a hope that this would be my new normal. Well, except with a little less exhaustion so I could do more than just give him a sleepy good-night kiss.
I hurried into my bedroom with half of my dinner wrapped up in a napkin, then quickly closed the door before Mom decided to check in on me. She'd noticed I'd been taking food from my plate to my room, but she hadn't said anything. Instead, she'd just increased my portions. Maybe she thought I was saving it for later?
I hadn't corrected her, because I couldn't tell her why I was taking the food. She wouldn't believe me.
Shade had told me he didn't need to eat, that he could go out to find food, but I liked feeding him.
"Shade, I got you some food," I murmured, kneeling by my bed and sliding the napkin under it.
"Thank you, Diego," he said, then made a happy sound that made me grin. "This is delicious."
"Right? I knew you'd like it."
I settled on the floor beside my bed, crossing my legs as I peered at the space beneath it and wished I could see my friend. It'd been more than a year since we met, and while we talked every day, I'd never seen him. He came out sometimes, when the room was completely dark, but then I couldn't see him because I wasn't a cat. I wondered if a cat could see him properly. Maybe I'd adopt one someday and see what happened. Mom said we couldn't get a cat because the landlord wouldn't allow it, but someday I was going to find a better apartment where no one would stop me.
"How was school?"
My smile fell, and I stuck my hand under my bed, feeling Shade's shadows brush against my palm. "It was okay."
"Did something happen?"
I sighed. "Nah."
"You can talk to me, Diego. I won't tell anyone," he teased, making me smile.
"Hugo was being mean. He said I wouldn't grow up to be a real boy because I didn't have a dad to teach me how to."
I knew that wasn't true, but his words had made me miss Dad, and thinking about Dad always made me sad.
"Hugo is an idiot," Shade said, making me laugh.
"Right?"
"Yep. Your mom is a great woman, and she's going to raise you to be a good man."
"She's the best," I agreed, meaning it with my whole heart. I knew Mom missed Dad too, and she always told me it was okay to miss him. She got sad when we talked about Dad, but she never told me to stop. She said Dad would always be in our hearts, and we shouldn't be afraid of talking about him.
"Would you like to hear a story about the time Dad broke the coffee machine?" I asked, and Shade chuckled.
"Sounds like a fun story. Tell me."
So that was what I did, and at some point through the retelling,the dream faded away, leaving me with a memory I'd forgotten.
