Chapter 51 Sleep With Mommy
“No matter how they tried to explain, Eloise stubbornly equated “sleeping in separate rooms” with “fighting and being angry.”
Apparently, Zoe’s parents had a huge argument yesterday over something and even mentioned divorce. Zoe had been crying all day at preschool.
Eloise, being a good friend, had spent half the day comforting her, secretly grateful that her own parents never fought.
But when Eloise heard that Zoe’s parents were sleeping
in separate rooms after their fight, her heart dropped. She remembered that Alistair and Caroline slept in separate rooms too.
They have been fighting behind my back?
Worry clouded Eloise’s mind as she rushed to Caroline’s room the moment she got home. There was only one pillow on Caroline’s bed. She darted to Alistair’s room. Only one pillow there too!
Eloise froze in shock.
It hit her like a thunderbolt. Her comforting belief that her parents had a good relationship, that they loved each other and her, and would always stay together all of it crumbled to dust in an instant.
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Chapter 51 Sleep With Mommy
→) Lucky P
At just five years old, Eloise could already envision the day her parents would divorce.
Mom won’t leave me, but what if Dad gets kicked out by Mom and
can never come home again, just like Zoe’s dad? No, I want Mom and Dad to be together forever!
The more Eloise thought about it, the more upset she became, until she finally burst into tears.
“Mom, Dad, please don’t fight anymore, okay?” she sobbed, taking Alistair’s and Caroline’s hands and joining them together.
Alistair’s heart nearly melted at the sight of Eloise’s tears. “Okay, I promise you, Eloise. We won’t fight anymore.”
Eloise turned to Caroline. “What about Mom?”
“Mom promises to never fight with Dad again,” Caroline said gently.
But Eloise wasn’t satisfied. “I want you to stay together forever and ever. No divorcing!”
“Deal!” Alistair agreed without hesitation.
It was a well–intended lie, but even as he made the firm promise,
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Chapter 51 Sleep With Mommy
he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt.
(*) Lucky Draw
Caroline, on the other hand, had no trouble saying “okay“.
She was absolutely certain she would never let Alistair go, not in this lifetime. But she didn’t dare let him know that.
She couldn’t even explain to herself why she wanted to hold onto him so badly. She couldn’t possibly convince Alistair she was
serious.
Eloise’s tears gave way to a smile as she scampered off.
She ran into Alistair’s bedroom and came out clutching his pillow. Her little feet pattered down the hall to Caroline’s room, where she placed Alistair’s pillow next to Caroline’s with a delighted grin. “Daddy, you should sleep with Mommy tonight!” she announced happily.
Alistair was speechless. His mind went completely blank.
Looking at Eloise’s angelic, expectant face, he managed a doting smile. “Sure.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Alistair froze.
What did I just agree to? I’ve actually promised Eloise I’d sleep in the same bed as Caroline! Would Caroline think I was trying to
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Chapter 51 Sleep With Mommy
Lucky Draw
take advantage of the situation?
But with Eloise staring up at him so hopefully, there was no way he could say “no“.
He snuck a glance at Caroline and was relieved to see her expression hadn’t changed. Maybe he was overthinking this.
After Eloise went to bed at her usual time, Alistair returned to his own room. Staring at his pillow–less bed, he couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of his pillow now sitting on Caroline’s bed, courtesy of Eloise.
Faced with the choice between going to Caroline’s room to
retrieve his pillow or just making do for the night, he quickly chose the latter.
He had just finished his shower when someone knocked on his
door.
After Eloise’s bedtime was typically their unspoken private time, when he and Caroline had an unwritten agreement not to disturb each other.
Alistair paused mid–motion while drying his hair with a white towel. He quickly walked over and opened the door, expecting to find Caroline. Instead, his gaze traveled downward until he spotted Eloise.
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Chapter 51 Sleep With Mommy
Lucky Draw
Eloise, who should have been fast asleep in her princess bed, stood clutching her small brown teddy bear with a quivering lip. “Daddy, you lied. Haven’t you made up with Mommy yet?”
Alistair was at a loss for words.
Lying was shameful, but at this point, to protect Eloise’s young, fragile heart that longed for a complete family, he had no choice but to keep up the charade. “Your mom and I needed to shower at the same time, and there wasn’t enough bathroom space, so l came over here to wash up.”
The innocent Eloise bought it. “Oh, then hurry back to Mommy’s room now that you’re done.”
Alistair was speechless again.
A brilliant idea struck him. “Sure, I’ll go right now, but it’s getting late, Eloise. Let me take you back to bed first.”
He could just tuck her in, wait until she fell asleep, and then sneak back to his own bedroom. After all, he always woke up before her anyway. He could make sure she never saw which bedroom he came out of.
Eloise narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “No way! I need to see w..n my own eyes that you’re sleeping in Mommy’s bed!”
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Chapter 51 Sleep With Mommy
Alistair was completely blown away by her.
Lucky Draw
Eloise was breaking her little heart trying to get her parents back
together.
With a stern little face, she dragged Alistair to Caroline’s door and pounded on it with her tiny fists.
The door opened, bringing with it a sweet fragrance.
Fresh from the shower, Caroline wore pajamas with her damp hair falling messily around her shoulders. Her smooth skin had a rosy tint from the hot water.
“Mom, I’ve delivered Dad back to you!” Eloise announced cheerfully. “Take him over, quick!”
Alistair stood there awkwardly.
Caroline’s bedroom had been like a forbidden zone to him.
Despite living there for a week, he’d never set foot inside.
Caroline froze for a second before quickly recovering. “Well, come
in already,” she said softly to Alistair.
Meeting her urging gaze, Alistair understood and stepped inside.
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Chapter 51 Sleep With Mommy
**) Lucky Draw
Satisfied with her mission to help her parents reconcile and “save”
her happy family, Eloise walked away, but not before shutting the
bedroom door behind her.
Alistair was at a loss for words.
The master bedroom featured a king–sized bed with pristine white sheets without a single wrinkle.
Alistair noticed his blue and white checkered pillowcase next to Caroline’s white pillow. It stood out jarringly against the all–white
bedding.
The atmosphere grew unexpectedly intimate.
“Um, don’t worry,” Alistair said with an awkward laugh. “I’ll head out in a minute.”
This might have been her territory, because Caroline seemed way more comfortable than he was.
“I’m going to check on Eloise,” she told Alistair before stepping
out.
When she returned, Alistair quickly asked, “Is Eloise asleep?” If she was, he could finally head to his room.
Instead of answering his question, Caroline closed the door
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Lucky Draw
behind her.
Alistair gave her a confused look.
Caroline fixed her beautiful eyes on him with an intense stare. “I need to ask you something, and please answer honestly.”
“Okay…”
“Do you think I’m going to eat you alive?”
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