Warmth (Part 3)

The chime of the clock from the foyer wall reminded Thea that it was getting late. Children have to get plenty of rest. She would have to figure out how to get Luin to bed and where he would sleep.

"Luin, there's only one bed in this apartment, but it is of a good size. Perhaps we can get you your own small bed soon, but for tonight you may have to sleep on my bed with me. Will that be alright with you?"

"You're going to sleep now? Okay. I don't mind." Luin hopped down from the chair.

Thea smiled with relief. "Yes. Getting enough sleep is best for someone your age, and I'll need to get up early to open the library tomorrow as well. Follow me upstairs, then." She led the way up the stairs, pausing halfway through to warn Luin to keep his hand on the railing as he climbed. The stairs were steep, and she'd only just realized that they might be difficult or dangerous for a child.

There was a small landing on the second floor with two doors coming off of it. "This door leads to a washroom." She opened the door to the left revealing a small sink; a decently sized, round tub; and a small shelf that held some cloths and towels for washing and drying oneself. "You're fairly clean, so I don't think you'll need to wash up tonight. How about we do that in the morning?"

Luin nodded.

"And this is the bedroom." Thea opened the other door, revealing a small room with a medium sized bed to one side and a desk in a corner and a wardrobe on the opposite side. Stacks of books were on the desk, and the bed wasn't as neatly made as it could have been, but at least the floor was clean. In the middle of the back wall, a large window showed the dark, blue-black sky outside.

Thea closed the curtains and turned down the far side of the bed covers. "Take off your slippers and climb into the bed on this side. I'm going to change for bed and be right back." She felt anxious leaving Luin on his own, so she grabbed her nightgown from the dresser and went to the washroom to change. When she got back, Luin was tucked under the covers, but they were still pulled down. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was even.

Hmm, must have been tired. Thea smiled to herself as she carefully pulled the covers up to his shoulders. She climbed carefully into the other side of the bed and laid down. With all that had happened, she found it hard to settle down. Thankfully, the book she had been reading the night before was tucked under her pillow.

Normally, an interesting book had no problem holding her attention or distracting her from her thoughts, but this time, it didn't seem to be working. After reading and rereading the same paragraph a few times, she shut the book and let it rest on her chest. At least the smell of the book is calming.

She glanced at the small form beside her, dark hair flowing over the pillow, and watched the gentle rise and fall of the blankets as Luin breathed. She truly had no idea who this child was. There was always the possibility that he was dangerous in some way. One could never be too careful. But Thea had a hard time believing Luin would try to hurt her.

However, she knew that not all things that brought harm meant to do so. What would she do if Luin's previous situation posed a threat to her as well? What if he was involved with a group that was dangerous and would come looking for him?

Thea took another glance at the boy and pressed her lips together to keep from chuckling. This isn't some novel, Thea, she told herself. And wouldn't the boy be much more worldly if he were involved with criminals? It all just didn't add up. The boy was strange, yes, and perhaps it was unusual that Thea had given into impulse and brought him into her home, but there was something about him that had made it hard for her to listen to logic. Perhaps it was the boy's wide open curiosity and obvious intelligence.

She exhaled slowly in lieu of a sigh and rolled to her side to put the book back where she had it. There really was no end to her thoughts, but at least she should appear to rest.

She touched the stone on the lamp to put out the light and started to adjust the covers over her. It was then that she felt Luin stir. She froze, thinking her movement had woken him, but the child simply whimpered and rolled closer to her. As soon as his forehead and hand touched her back he seemed to relax back into deep sleep.

A bit startled at first, Thea wasn't sure what to do. The feeling of a small body cuddling against her was so foreign. But she remembered being small and doing the same thing to her mother. It's fine if my warmth and presence helps with whatever bad dreams he's having. There was no telling what kinds of nightmares a kid his age might have. And though she didn't want to pry, she did wonder if she might ask him more about himself in the morning. If he were in a dangerous situation, maybe she could help–or find someone who could.

She reached over and petted the top of his head as she remembered her mother doing for her. She hoped that he might pick up on her wish that his nightmares would fade away and that he would know that nothing in those dreams could get him now.

Thea pulled her hand back when she felt the boy relax. There were still a lot of things she was worried about, especially when it came to her ability to take care of Luin, but she let go of her worries for now and closed her eyes.

Tomorrow, she told her restless mind. I'll figure it all out tomorrow.

Surprisingly, her restless mind listened for once, and sleep claimed her.