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“You got me,” I say, holding up my hands. “The T-Rex wins again.”
Robbie beams, victorious, before scooping up both dinosaurs and making them stomp across the floor.
I steal a glance toward thetable.
Cole is still watching.
His expression is unreadable, but his fingers aren’t moving on the keyboard anymore.
I quickly look away, pretending I don’t see him.
Though, really, who am I trying to fool here?
The storm outside picks up, the wind howling louder, the rain slamming against the windows. The lights flicker again, and this time, Robbie pauses, looking up at the ceiling.
“Do you think the lights will go out?” he asks.
I hesitate. “Maybe. But we’ll be fine.”
Cole speaks up from across the room. “The house has a generator, so the some of the lights will stay on, even in a strong storm.”
Robbie nods, seeming satisfied with that answer, and goes back to his dinosaurs.
I don’t.
Instead, I glance at Cole again, catching the way his eyes stay on me a beat too long before he finally looks back at his screen.
I press my lips together, my stomach tightening.
He’s waiting.
And I don’t know how much longer Ican keep pretending nothing’s wrong.
***
The storm rages outside, the wind howling against the windows, rain lashing against the glass in thick sheets. Thunder rumbles in the distance, deep and rolling, sending a faint vibration through the walls of the villa. The lights flicker for the third time tonight, but they stay on.
Robbie barely notices.
He’s already tucked under the covers, his small body curled around Rexy. His hair is still damp from his shower, curling slightly at the ends, and his eyes are heavy with exhaustion, though he’s trying his best to fight it.
I sit on the edge of his bed, the soft mattress dipping beneath my weight as I flip open one of the books he brought from home. The familiar, worn pages feel like a comfort in my hands, something steady, something safe.
“Which one are we reading tonight?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
Robbie rubs his eyes with the back of his hand. “The pirate one.”
I grin, shaking my head. “You’ve picked this one every night for the last week.”
He grins back, his exhaustion not strong enough to dim his excitement. “Because it’s the best one.”
I laugh softly, adjusting my position on the bed and smoothing the page with my palm. “All right, then. The pirate one it is.”
Outside, lightning flashes, illuminating the room for a brief second before disappearing. Robbie shifts under the blankets, curling deeper into the bed, but he doesn’t seem scared.
I clear my throat and begin reading, letting my voice settle into the steady rhythm of the story. “Captain Redbeard stood at the bow of his ship, gazing out at the endless sea…”
As I read, Robbie watches me, his eyes drifting open and shut, his little fingers clutching Rexy’s plush tail. He’s fighting sleep, but I can tell he’s losing.