Page 50 (2/2)

"For me?" he asked, his voice shaky

She nodded and whispered, "It means they love you" Eet in the picture with him!" she ordered We did as she said When the Polaroid picture printed, she handed it to Tristan, and he thanked her over and over again

"Okay, time for bed How about I read you a story so you can sleep?" I asked

"Can Tristan read it to

I looked over at hiround "Of course I can What should we read?" he asked her, lifting irl into his arms

"I like The Cat in The Hat," Emma replied "But you have to read it like a zombie"

His smile stretched as the two of them walked down the hallway and he said, "That’s one of my favorite ways to read it"

Outside of Eainst the wall, listening to Tristan read to her, listening to her giggle at his terrible zombie voice She sounded so happy, which in an instantbetter than knowing that your child was s those smiles to Emma’s face

"Tick?" Emma said with a heavy yawn

"Yes, Tock?"

"I’m sorry about your family"

"It’s okay I’m sorry about your dad"

I peeked into the rooainst his chest beside Eain "I miss him"

"I bet he misses you, too"

She closed her eyes and curled into a ball as she began to fall asleep "Tick?" she whispered, al into her dreah your zoe of his nose and sniffled before standing up and pulling the cover over her He slid Bubba into her arms and tucked her in "I love you, too, E his way and gave ave hied his tail, but didn’t o hohed "What a traitor you have on your hands"

"I can’t really blaht?"

"Absolutely I think the two of them became used to each other after you and Zeus stayed a few days at our house"

He leaned against the door, watching as Zeus snuggled into Eht and smiled in her dreams Tristan crossed his arms "I see why you didn’t fall completely apart like I did You had Eood in this world, isn’t she?"