The First Night She Finally Slept
Marissa ran into my arms so hard it knocked the breath out of me.
That night, I tucked her into bed in my home.
She gripped my hand like she was afraid sleep might steal me.
“You’re not leaving?” she whispered.
I squeezed back.
“Nope. I’m staying. And so are you.”
She closed her eyes.
But she didn’t let go of my hand.
So I sat there in the dark until I was sure she was really asleep.
The next morning, we walked to school like we always had.
Same time. Same route.
But everything was different now.
At the front desk, the secretary slid a form across the counter.
“Guardian?” she asked.
I picked up the pen.
“Yes.”
And for the first time in 30 years, it didn’t feel like a fantasy.
It felt earned.
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