Neither of us names what this is.
But when I close my eyes…
I feel safe.
50
Saint
She falls asleep like that.
Her head resting against my shoulder.
Trusting me.
The weight of it hits harder than any punch I’ve taken.
I don’t move.
Not for a long time.
The fire pops softly behind us.
The baby breathes quietly in the other room.
The whole cabin feels like it’s holding its breath.
I look down at Laney.
At the exhaustion on her face.
At the way she finally let herself lean on someone.
I know how easy it would be to want more.
To reach for it.
To pretend the world outside these walls isn’t trying to tear everything apart.
But I can’t.
Not yet.
Not while she’s still deciding if she can trust me.
Not while she’s still healing.
I don’t know what we are.
I don’t know what we’re becoming.
But I know what I want to protect.
Her.
The baby.
This fragile little pocket of peace we’ve carved out in the middle of a war.
