"Come on, champ, you really need to get some sleep now. It's already so late, and you've got school early in the morning," Angel said softly, her voice gentle yet firm as she walked alongside Mason through the dimly lit hallway of their cozy apartment.
The lights cast long shadows on the walls, and the hum of the night seemed to whisper a lullaby in the distance. As they reached Mason's room, instead of going their separate ways, Mason suddenly tugged at her hand, his eyes wide with pleading.
"Can you stay with me tonight? Just for a little while? Please?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Angel hesitated for a moment. He was supposed to sleep alone—he was growing up, after all. But tonight, something about the way he looked up at her made her heart soften completely. Without another word, she nodded, and together they climbed onto his small bed, settling under the covers like old times.
