Tara.

“Are you happy that you saw Nectar today?” I ask Eryis while tucking her into bed. She nods sleepily. “How long do you think you can stay without seeing her now?”

“I can shtay till am a teen, mommy,” she responds drowsily, earning a laugh from me at her words.

“You better not cry for her tomorrow, or the next, or the next, or the—”

“Goodnight, mommy.” Eryis turns her back to me on the bed and I can’t help but chuckle at her action.

The little patootie is ...