Heather took a long, tired sip from her coffee. It was lukewarm now, but she didn't care. She just needed something warm in her mouth, something to hold while she sat still and tried to catch her breath.
Across the table, Alex was chewing slowly. Too slowly. But she didn't scold him. He had one hand on his spoon, and the other one was flying his little spaceship in the air. He made soft sound effects with his lips, lost in his own world.
She watched him, half-listening, half-sinking into her own thoughts.
She had finally slept well. For the first time in a long while. The kind of sleep where your body sinks into the bed and your chest feels lighter in the morning. It didn't last long, but it was enough. Enough to remind her she was still alive and still had things she needed to hold together.
