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“Sure.” I nod and head to the register to close his tab. When I bring it back to him, I place it on the table. “Here.” Thankfully, before he can say anything else, another couple calls me. “I’ll be right back.”

With a coffee request, I quickly serve them. From the corner of my eye, I see Professor Adell placing money inside the leather case and politely excusing himself. He stands to meet me when I’ve finished serving the couple.

“Never took you for the type of girl who would study and work at the same time.” He presses on the work subject again.

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, Professor Adell. It only shows that your assumptions about me are shallow...and well,wrong.”

I give him a tight-lipped smile at the end. My voice might have come out softer than it was supposed to, but I mean…it’s progress seeing that I am shaking like a leaf on the inside.

“I guess we’ll see. Won’t we?” He smirks before walking off abruptly.

What?

I just stand there dumbfounded. His expression this time around wasn’t all about anger or distaste. It was more like amusement.

Huffing, I pick up the leather case and bring it to the register to put the money in. When I open it, I notice that from atwenty-euro meal, he just left a thirty-euro tip.

What in the…

“There’s something seriously wrong with this man,” I mumble to myself.

“Who, dear?” Shilah asks from the kitchen door, behind me.

“Just a rude customer. But look, he left us a thirty-euro tip.” I wave the bill in front of her.

“No way. You know the rules. What’s yours is yours. If he gave you that much, it is because you deserved it! You’ve been doing great!”

“Oh god. Thank you so, so much.” I hug her tightly.

It might not be much, but all the money I can make will better help me with the bills… Uni, to help Nana, and especially care for Dylan.

Once my shift ends, I do my best to leave as much done as I can so they don’t have too much work when it’s closing time, then drive home to find Dylan asleep on my bed. I am so exhausted that I don’t have the energy to carry him to his. Instead, I put my pyjamas on and snuggle in bed, bringing him close to me.

He automatically latches onto my body, and I sigh in relief at the feeling of his warmth on my chest. He might be young and little, but he holds such power over me. Dylan calms down my racing heart and gives peace to my restless soul.

He’s the only place I feel truly safe.

FOUR

Willow

Exhausting.

That is the only word possible to describe how this week felt. Juggling school, work, and a needy five-year-old—soon to be six—is hard. To help make things worse, I fell asleep in one of Professor Adell’s classes this week after Johanna loudly asked me to go out with her sometime. If he had let it go the first time, he certainly didn’t afterwards.

The only bright moments I currently have are hugs from my boy. This kid is the oxytocin source of my life, with his miraculous cuddles. And that is exactly why today is going to be all about him.

“Good morning, little devil,” I whisper close to his serene face.

A small frown appears quickly, followed by a slight stir, but still, he doesn’t wake from his sleep. He is spread out on his wooden bed, only half covered by the dinosaur sheets he chose–his favourite—and it takes me a few more calls and some nudges for him to groan and open one eye. “I’m tired, Mummy.”

I can’t help but snort. After twelve hours of sleep, he’s still tired?

The window on the left side is completely open, as the bright rays from the early morning lights up his bedroom. The wooden furniture is not high-end or modern, but it’s good quality and functional. A bed for him to sleep, a desk and chair to study and do his homework once he starts elementary school, and a closet. Other than that, there is a bookcase with some of the books I read to him at bedtime and a few drawers where I store his toys.

The bed’s head is covering part of the light green wall, with a huge framed picture of Dylan, Nana, Jake, and me a few years ago at Christmas.

Sometimes, I wish I could give him more—better. But he has never once seemed bothered by his bedroom. In fact, he’s very fond of it.

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