Jasmine's POV
Sleep had become my enemy. Every few hours, my eyes would snap open, and I'd find myself reaching across the bed to make sure Naia and Jeffrey were still there. My heart would pound until I felt their warm little bodies, saw their chests rising and falling in innocent slumber.
The fear wrapped around me like chains. What if I closed my eyes and they vanished again?
But dawn broke gently, painting the room in soft gold. Tiny hands pressed against my cheeks, and giggles filled the air.
"Mommy, wake up!" Naia bounced on the mattress, her curls wild from sleep.
Jeffrey planted a wet kiss on my forehead. "We want breakfast!"
A genuine smile tugged at my lips for the first time in days. I pulled them both against me, breathing in their sweet scent of dreams and strawberry shampoo. These moments felt like stolen treasures.
"Good morning, my precious ones," I whispered into their hair.
