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Gaia had trained herself to survive on little sleep but after not a wink on Sunday night and hardly more than an hours nap on Monday morning, she was out like a light the moment her head hit the pillow that night. She had fallen asleep before Evan had even made it up to bed, leaving him to watch the end of the film they had started. It was one Max had recommended, an easy, light-hearted romantic comedy that Gaia had adored, but she had fallen asleep thirty minutes in.
Zara had nudged her awake at ten past nine when she had slumped in her seat, at risk of knocking over the cup of tea that had long since gone cold, and it was then that she had dragged herself upstairs with heavy feet after bidding goodnight to her family. The day had wiped it out of her. It was the first time she had taken a day off for any reason other than her children or her health and despite not even leaving the house, she could hardly hold her head up as she had brushed her teeth.
The feel of her cool duvet was a delicious relief when she had crawled into bed, too shattered to even think about trying to read. Her book lay abandoned on her bedside table, her dreams taking over before she even had time to turn out the light. When Evan had come up ninety minutes later, once he had checked on his children and ensured Max was set up with the air mattress in Zara's room, he had turned out her light and kissed her sleeping forehead before he had drifted off to the sound of her quiet snores.
For nine solid hours, Gaia slept undisturbed until she was woken at half past six by the creak of the bed frame and the dip of the mattress. Sighing and stretching, she let out a grunt before she opened her eyes and saw Evan sitting beside her with his knees propped up, Clover resting in his lap as he fed her. Alfie was snuggled against her stomach, though she had no recollection of him clambering into her bed.
"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," he said with a grin when he noticed that his wife was awake. She lay with her head flat on the bed, having thrown her pillow away at some point in the night, and she squinted to look up at him with tired eyes. One arm automatically went around her son, tucking her chin against her chest to kiss the top of his head.
"Hey," she said through a yawn, forcing her weary muscles to sit up straight and reach for her daughter's hand. Clover grabbed her finger, huge eyes gazing up at her mother, and Gaia was flooded with a broody wave.
"How'd you sleep? You were flat out when I came to bed."
"Mmm. Really well. This little rascal didn't even wake me up," she said with a smile, running her fingers through Alfie's curls. He was fast asleep on his front with his knees pulled up under his stomach, his bottom stuck up in the air and his thumb lodged in his mouth.
Evan chuckled and rubbed his son's back. "He had a bad dream. I said he could sleep with us as long as he didn't wake you up. Looks like he kept up his end of the deal."
"How's Clo? She probably needs changing," Gaia murmured, hating that there were still so many things Evan couldn't do. He was so close to being back to normal, but not quite yet.
