Page 57 of Sanctuary After Dark

Lincoln stretched his arms out above his head and sat up again, smacking my ass playfully as he went.

"Come on. Let's get dressed and eat some breakfast, and then you, squirt, are going out with me. We need some one-on-one time."

I sat up excitedly when he said I was going out with him.

"Like a date?"

He smirked at me as he stopped at the bathroom door.

"Exactly that. We're going on a date. Now get that cute ass movin'."

"Yes, Tatuś!!"

I scrambled off the bed to follow him into the bathroom so that we could shower together and get ready for the day.

I heard Lucas laugh from where he was lying on the bed still.

"I guess I'll strip the bed then."

Chapter 19

After we were all dressed and had eaten breakfast, I stole Elias away for our date. I thought it was a good idea for us to spend some one-on-one time together after yesterday. I know we talked it out and things were fine between us, but it was a good idea to just have time together after an intense session too.

I knew later Elias had a therapy appointment with Alec, and after last night, I had texted him to get some time in as well to talk things through. I tried to keep a monthly appointment with him just to check in and we encouraged all members to see a therapist even if nothing was wrong. It was good to just have someone to talk things through with.

"What are we doing for our date, Tatuś?"

Looking over at Elias in the passenger's seat of my car, I grinned and squeezed his hand gently.

"Hmm, should I tell you or keep it a surprise?"

Elias furrowed his brow for a moment before pouting, and it was adorable. The way his nose scrunched and he pushed out his bottom lip? I was a goner.

"Noooo! I wanna know. Please? Pretty please?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at how cute he was being. I could tell from the moment he woke up that he was going into his little space. His face softened, losing its tension, and his shoulders dropped. He seemed more carefree and open, and his filters seemed to be falling.

It made me so happy to see how he was feeling safe in his little space again, and I was going to foster that today. I had already looked up what movies were playing, and I knew the perfect one for us to see.

"I thought that we could go see a movie together and pig out on concession stand snacks. My Neighbor Totoro is playing. What do you think, sweetheart?"

He went quiet after I suggested it, and while I was looking at the road, I thought that I had done something wrong. Glancing over at him, I knew I didn't. His face was full of excitement as he smiled so brightly at me.

"I LOVE THAT MOVIE! Oh my gosh, Tatuś, this is perfect! I want popcorn and Milk Duds and sour gummy worms and Snow Caps, and nachos! Oh, we have to get nachos! And we need to pick the perfect spot too! Not too close that we can't see, but not too far away either."

Laughing as he rambled on and on about where we would sit and what snacks he wanted, and what were superior movie snacks, I brought his hand to my mouth and kissed his knuckles as I let him educate me on all things movie snacks.

He was the cutest little boy right now, and as we got to the theater, I pulled my phone out and sent a text to Lucas asking him to help me with a surprise I had just thought of for after the movie was over. We would need the help of some others at the house, but I knew he could help me pull it off, and that Elias was going to love it.

Getting out of the car, I went around to his door and opened it. He was still talking, and it made me smile even more. Reaching over, I unbuckled him and took his hand as he got out. Grabbing the blanket from the back seat, I locked everything up.

"What's the blanket for, Tatuś?"

Putting my arm around him and pulling him close, I kissed his head.

"It's a luxury theater, squirt. The seats are bigger and recline, and the arms go up so you and I can cuddle while we watch the movie. The blanket is because you always need a blanket when you watch a movie. That's the rule."

He giggled at my rule and bounced a little as we walked towards the doors.