94

~Aoife~

I slept soundly on Xander’s shoulder, finding comfort and a respite from the turmoil of my emotions. But as the morning dawned, I fluttered my eyes open, feeling the strain in my neck and back. I rubbed the tense muscles, trying to ease the soreness.

“Are you okay?” Xander whispered, shifting his shoulder to give me some relief.

I blinked my heavy eyes, offering him a faint smile, and gently rubbed my temple.

“Yes, how is Alex?”.

“He’s still under observation,” Xander replied, his hand making soothing circles on my back.

I excused myself to the restroom, splashing water on my face in an attempt to refresh myself. As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I noticed that my eyes were swollen from crying. My son was fighting for his life, and here was the man outside doing everything he could to help. I silently wished for his well-being, my gaze lost in a cascade of thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for the news that lay ahead. Returning to my seat, I observed