A Hand To Hold | Cglre |

Chapter 20: Under Construction

Sophie's POV

I woke up slowly, blinking as the soft morning light crept through the window. It was warm on my skin, almost like a hug, but my tummy felt twisty again—tight and uncomfortable, as it did most days but then it was worse. Blue, my soft bunny, was pressed against my cheek, his fur as familiar as a lullaby. I buried my face in him, trying to chase the twisty feeling away, but it lingered.

The air smelled different here. Not like home, where everything carried Mama and Dada's scents and the faint lavender of our soap. I held Blue tighter, hoping his softness could make me feel safe in this unfamiliar place.

Mama's arm was heavy and warm around me, her face calm and soft in sleep. She looked like a fish from one of my bedtime stories, her lips slightly parted and her hair spread over the pillow like a chocolate fountain. I didn't want to wake her. I lay still, listening to the quiet sounds outside—the chirping of birds, the soft shuffle of footsteps somewhere in the house.

Dada was awake. When I peeked up at him, his eyes met mine, and his face lit up with a smile that was just for me.

"Morning, sweetpea," he whispered, his voice wrapping around me like my favorite blanket.

I didn't answer. Words felt too heavy when my tummy twisted like this. Instead, I hugged Blue closer, hoping Dada would understand. He always did. He leaned closer, brushing a strand of hair from my face with his gentle fingers.

"Still waking up?" he asked.

I nodded a little. "Mama," I whispered, my voice small.

Dada leaned over and kissed my head. "Let's wake Mama, then we'll all go have breakfast, okay?"

He touched Mama's shoulder gently, and her eyes fluttered open. When she looked at me, her smile was as warm as sunshine. With her sleepy voice she said "Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?" 

I nodded again, but I wasn't sure if it was true.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, sitting up and stretching, her movements slow and graceful like waves.

I hesitated. My tummy didn't feel hungry—it felt tight and strange. The only thing I knew to have helped me before was Mama's milk. "Milk," I whispered, hiding my face in Blue's fur.

Mama's chuckle was soft and full of... of love?. "Let's go see what Grandma made first," she said. "And then we can have milk after, okay?"

The kitchen smelled like cookies and fruit, a sweetness that tickled my nose but didn't settle the twisty feeling in my stomach. Grandma was at the stove, stirring something in a pot. When she saw me, her face lit up like a sunrise.

"Good morning, Sophie!" she said brightly, her voice warm and soft.

I clung to Dada's hand, peeking out from behind him. Words stayed stuck in my throat, heavy and too big to push out.