These Dreams of You

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Zan sweeps her into his arms more determinedly than any time since he first swept her out of the backseat of the car bringing her home from the airport, and says, “Shhh, shhh, listen to me,” he clutches her to his chest and she squeezes his neck, “listen to me. Are you listening?”

A muffled reply comes from his shoulder.

“I love you. You’re my little girl. I love you and Parker the same. Mama loves you and Parker the same. You’re a member of this family and always will be. It will never, ever, ever change.”

“Promise?” muffled from his shoulder.

“I promise. It will never ever change no matter what you do or say, you’re part of this family forever, whether you want to be or not,” he declares.

“What about my Thyopia poppy?” she peeps from his chest.

“He’s your poppy too. But so am I.”

“Two poppys.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry,” she begins to cry again.

“No, shhh. Nothing to be sorry for.”