Page 118 of Insidious

Then, with a gentleness that makes me all kinds of emotional, he smooths his hands down the sides of my dress where it has ridden up slightly against the door. The movement makes my heart feel so full.

His fingers brush briefly against my hips before he steps back and clears his throat like a man attempting to remember that he is capable of behaving normally.

“Ready?” he asks.

I nod, still breathless.

“You better walk in front of me because Little Isaac is ready for action.” He grins despite the situation.

“You need to stop calling your dick that.” I sigh at his antics, but I am enjoying myself.

Instead of ringing the bell, Isaac fishes the keys from my clutch and opens the door.

Manon is just on the other side, like she has been debating on whether she should make a quiet retreat. I can’t help the blush that colours my cheeks.

She stands here, looking suspiciously awake for midnight.

Behind her, the house is dim and quiet.

“Everything okay?” I ask instinctively, already peering past her.

Manon’s expression softens immediately.

“She’s fine, Luna. Asleep. She has been such a good little girl. She did seem upset in the beginning, but I guess she is used to us.”

Relief loosens the knot in my chest. Amelie has only recently started sleeping through the night consistently, and I am still a light sleeper, worried that something will go wrong.

“She took the bottle with no fuss and nodded off just half an hour ago,” Manon adds, and there’s unmistakable grandmotherly pride in her voice. “She is a heavy sleeper. Didn’t wake, even when Kel dropped the spoon drawer.”

From somewhere deeper in the house, he shouts, “It was one spoon! How did it become an entire drawer?”

“One spoon is not impressive enough, Kel,” Manon calls back calmly.

Isaac snorts beside me.

“She didn’t wait up for us?” he asks, looking a little let down. He is usually the one who rocks her to sleep if she wakes up after a feed. They have long conversations about her future career plans and about what dinosaurs liked to eat.

Manon nods.

“We should frame this date,” I mutter to Isaac. “It may be the last peaceful evening we ever have. She is going to remember we left her and went out to have fun.”

“I already told you,” he says solemnly, “she’s lulling us into false complacency before her villain arc.”

Manon rolls her eyes fondly. But then she looks at us again, and a relieved expression flickers across her face.

“You both look happy,” she says quietly.

The words catch me off guard because we do.

I am tired some days and still healing in many ways. Life still feels complicated, but also blessed. Isaac’s hand slides to the small of my back again.

“Thank you,” Manon says as she pulls her coat on. “For letting me do this.”

I know what she is not saying.

Thank you for giving me this second chance with you.

“Good night, Manon,” I say softly.