Chapter 144

Two children changed the sound of the house.

It wasn’t just louder.

It was layered.

A newborn’s sharp cry overlapping with a preschooler’s endless questions. Lullabies mixing with toy drums. The hum of the dishwasher beneath it all like a steady heartbeat.

Sleep became a negotiation again.

Not as shocking as the first time—but heavier, because there was no true downtime. When the baby slept, their older child was wide awake and curious. When both finally rested, dishes ...