Casey did not return to her bed that night. Nor did she return to her bed the night after that or the one after that.

It had been a little over a week, and every night was spent with Lavinia. It seemed that Lavinia’s room would become Casey’s as well. Lavinia was fine with that.

She, for her part, loved sleeping alongside the girl. When she was breathing slowly, dreaming deeply, curled in Lavinia’s arms, it struck the woman how much life Casey brought to her. ...