“I want you to sleep too,” Briahna says, her big brown eyes wide, her mouth slightly puckered. She talks around her thumb and her eyes are slowly closing. She holds them open even wider, trying to stay awake.

Joey laughs. “But big people don’t take naps,” he whispers, smoothing the curls off her forehead.

She screws up her nose. “I’ll let you use my blankie.” She offers the little square of ratty blue blanket, left from Justin’s coming-home-from-the-hospital gift.

He smiles and nods, whispers “Only for a little while,” as he lies down behind her. “You keep the blankie.” He curls his knees up under her feet and she wiggles against him, resting her head on his arm. He kisses her wispy curls as her breathing evens and she drifts off to sleep.

JC, watching from the doorway, smiles before he quietly shuts the door.

in the mood?