Chapter 24

The intimate gesture made Shawn frown. Putting down his phone, he nudged Kathleen gently. Instead of moving away, she shifted even closer, sliding her hand from his waist to his abdomen. Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with her touch, Shawn grabbed her hand firmly and warned her quietly, "Kathleen, stop pretending to sleep." Kathleen didn't open her eyes or respond. The bedroom became quiet again. He furrowed his brow and was about to remove her hand, but she held onto him tightly. "...Mom," she murmured. Shawn was speechless. Was she mistaking him for her mother? How old was she to still dream about her mom? "I'm not your mom. Let go," he insisted, uncomfortable with her grip. As soon as he spoke, he heard her quiet sobbing. Looking down, Shawn saw that her brows were knitted together, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and a tear rolling down from the corner of her eye. She was crying softly, clearly distressed from some sad dream, yet her hand still gripped him tightly.