Safe & Sound

10

"There you are," Cyfrin said, pulling the blankets back from where they were covering Amena's head. She was back on the floor, unable to get herself to move today. "I've been looking for you."

He reached for her. She instinctively jerked away, but his warm hand continued forward until he was able to stroke her hair.

That seemed to break some of the thoughts that had been racing through her head.

"Just having a bad day today?" he asked, lifting her upper body gently so she was laying across his lap.

She nodded, wiping her damp cheeks.

"I woke up and I thought I was there," she admitted.

"And then it was like one bad thought after the other?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Should've called me, baby. You know I would have been home in a heartbeat." He leaned down, his lips just barely grazing her cheek. He gathered her hair away from her neck.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault."

He sat with her until she seemed to relax a little more.

"You've been doing so good lately," he praised quietly. "It's okay to not feel okay."

"I'm tired," Amena whispered.

"I know," he whispered back. "How about I make your favorite for dinner?"

"Waffles?" Amena asked.

"Yes, and I'll make sure to add extra chocolate chips this time."

Amena went with Cyfrin down to the kitchen. She settled, already feeling so much better in his presence.

But as soon as he set the food in front of her, she couldn't do it. Everything ached. Her chest felt tight and she struggled to take in a breath. She rubbed away the tears that she could already feel.

Cyfrin took her plate, sitting on the floor. He gestured her over until she sat in his lap.

"There you go," he whispered. He cut the waffle with the fork, holding the food to her lips. "Just a few bites, Amena. I know you haven't eaten all day. It might make you feel better."

She nodded, complying. It was really good, and eating did make her feel better.

After they ate, Cyfrin helped her upstairs. He helped her get ready for bed, and they settled under the blankets together with a book.

Her eyes drooped, heavy from the long day.

"Cyfrin," she whispered as he turned the page.

"Hmm?" he hummed.

"Maybe Dr. Amy is right. Maybe I should see a therapist."

"What changed?" he asked curiously.

She sat up, turning so she could face him. He was so handsome. He took such good care of her.

Amena shrugged. "I don't want you to have to come home like this again."

He cupped her cheek. She nuzzled gently into his warm touch.

"You can't control the bad days," he said.

"I know," she mumbled. "But I can do better."

She wanted to take care of the issue, get rid of the nightmare that had followed her her whole life. She wanted to be the best version of herself. She deserved better. Cyfrin deserved better.

Cyfrin smiled, just a small one. "I will ask around and figure something out, okay?"

He gestured for her to lay back down, and this time she laid on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his lips to her head.

"What was your childhood like?" she whispered.

"I guess I was pretty lucky," he said. "I was raised by my grandmother and she was amazing. She was the one who taught me how to cook. Xavier and James have always been my best friends. We went to high school together."

Cyfrin told her lots of stories. She could tell he really adored his grandmother, but she had passed away after a few health complications had knocked her down.

He told her how he had always wanted to take care of his grandmother and never had the resources to, not while he was in school.

It made a lot of sense why he had made taking care of her such a priority.

He also told her about how he had started up his businesses. He wanted a restaurant, and Xavier wanted the nightclub. Apparently, Xavier used to be big into partying which was ironic considering he was the first of their group to settle down.

Cyfrin still thought it was important to have a clean, safe space for people to dance and have fun. Their nightclub now was way more exclusive because of the restaurant being higher end.

James liked numbers and had gone to school for finances. By the time he was finished with his Master's degree, Cyfrin already had several years of business experience from owning his restaurant, so they had combined their knowledge to open up the loan company. They had created a feasible way for people to repay their loans without being drowned by the interest.

The contract listed a charity, usually one that the client picked, that they would work for for an extended amount of time. Cyfrin and James' company covered housing, and the client still typically took home a small paycheck.

If the client didn't want to work as much, they could sign away certain assets. Amena's father had signed away the house.

Amena couldn't believe her father had made such a big deal about it, even offering to sell her instead. It wasn't like he was going to prison.

It was scary to think that she might still see him out and about somewhere.

Amena soaked all of the information in. Cyfrin pulled the blanket high around her shoulders, his hand running the length of her back. His voice became a warm lull as her eyes finally shut.