Page 108 of Sawyer

“Three hours?” I scoff. “I need fifteen minutes, tops?—”

“Three. Hours. Understood?”

I can’t help but smile. My chest floods with relief as the realization hits me that I’m really allowing myself to do this.

I’m going to take a fuckingnap. In the middle of the day. While I have guests in my house, and while dirty dishes pile up in my sink.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good.” She holds up the plate with the sandwich on it. “Now go to your room.”

I take the plate. “Okay, when you say it like that, I get a little excited?—”

“Sawyer.”

“All right, all right. I’m going. Ella, be good!”

“I be good!” she calls back.

I wanna kiss Ava. So I do, a quick peck on the lips. I know I’m risking the girls seeing us—I have no idea what we’d tell them, or if we should tell them at all—but I’m too tired to care.

I shove my grilled cheese in my mouth, and then I fall face-first into bed.

I’m asleep before I even take my phone out of my pocket.

* * *

I wake up with drool on my pillow. I’m a little sweaty.

Prying open my eyes, I see that the light in the room has changed. It’s warmer, almost golden.

My stomach flips.What time is it? How long was I out for?

The house is silent.

Sitting up, I press the heel of my hand into one eye, then the other. I slept hard. I don’t remember what day it is or how I got to my bed.

All I remember is Ava ordering me around.

My palm smarts as I dig my other hand into my back pocket, grabbing my phone. Oh, right. I burned this hand lifting the piping hot lid off a skillet.

“Holy shit,” I murmur when I see that it’sfour fucking o’clock.

I slept for over four hours. Ava came over at eleven thirty, right?

To be honest, I could probably sleep for four more.

Really, I could sleep all day and all night and still not be caught up. But beggars can’t be choosers, and I really do feel a hundred times better than I did earlier. I’m able to think clearly. My body doesn’t hurt.

Go figure, letting people help you really, er, helps.

I have a text from Ava. Kinda scary that I was in such a deep sleep that I didn’t hear the notification, but I imagine she would’ve woken me up if there was an emergency, right?

AVA BARTLETT

Hey! I didn’t want the girls waking you up, so I took them to my place. I had an extra car seat in my car for Ella that Lee uses sometimes. Give me a ring when you wake up, which I hope isn’t for several more hours. Proud of you for getting rest [heart emoji]

Seriously, when am I gonna stop smiling like an idiot?

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