It's just a nightmare, kiddo...

I've always felt like I owed Betty something. My health issues have prevented me from giving her the joys of a typical woman's life, and my inability to have children means she can't experience motherhood because of me.

Honestly, if Betty decided to leave me, I doubt her family or friends would blame her once they knew the reasons. But Betty has stuck by me without any complaints, treating me even better than before.

"How could I be tired?" Betty said with a smile. "I've always wanted a child, and now you've fulfilled that wish for me. I should be thanking you! From now on, let's treat him as our own son. "

"It gives us something to look forward to, and it allows me to do the things only a mother can do. Whatever you decide, I'll support you. And I really like Michael, even though I'm only 15 years older than him—kind of a quirky age gap for a mother and son, huh?" Betty chuckled, covering her mouth as she laughed.

Her laughter always brightened the room, and the sight of her, so full of life and joy, stirred something in me that had been dormant for a while.

Feeling a spark of my old self, I turned to her, "Honey, it's been a while since we've been intimate. I'm feeling a bit of the old fire tonight. How about we try?"

I reached for her, but she looked surprised and then touched me gently, feeling the change in my body. A flash of joy crossed her face, but then she hesitated, her hand trembling slightly. It seemed she had been holding back her desires too, but suddenly, something made her frown and shake her head.

"Let's not tonight, honey. With Michael suddenly here, I feel a bit restrained. Plus, his door is still open. If we... you know, he might hear us. It's strange having someone else right next door. "

"Let's get used to this new setup first, okay?" Betty caressed my face, her voice tinged with disappointment. I could tell she wanted to, but she was genuinely concerned about Michael overhearing us.

Ah, such a perfect moment gone to waste. I couldn't just go and close Michael's door now, not when we were trying to keep an eye on him tonight. It's been seven years of ups and downs, and adopting this kid—was it the right choice or not? I found myself lost in thought...

Feeling a wave of disappointment, I let go of Betty and lay down to sleep. Honestly, my mood was pretty lousy.

It felt like standing in front of a knockout beauty, ready to make your move, and then suddenly realizing you're shooting blanks. Betty must have sensed my frustration because she wrapped her arms around me from behind, comforting me.

After a while, Betty got up and went to check on Michael in his room. Seeing her walk away in that sexy nightgown, I didn't have any particular thoughts or plans. After all, Michael is still a kid. It wasn't long before Betty returned.

"Is the kid asleep?" I mumbled, glancing at the clock which showed it was already 10:35 PM. Normally, if we weren't working late, Betty and I would have been asleep by now. Sleep is precious to me.

"Not yet. He's just lying there with his eyes open, probably lost in thought. Ah, it'll take time for him to heal inside. Let's not rush him. Let's sleep," Betty said, and then she kissed me gently on the face.

Betty held me from behind, and soon, exhaustion took over, and I drifted off to sleep. These days have been too tiring, both mentally and physically. I've never really slept well since we've been abroad. There's nothing like the comfort of home and the warm embrace of a wife.

Suddenly, I was jolted awake by a scream. Instinctively, I sat up in bed—a habit from my days as a war correspondent, always on alert for danger.

"What's up, honey?" I turned to see Betty also stirring from sleep, still a bit groggy and seemingly forgetting that we now had an extra person in the house.

"It sounds like Michael next door is yelling," I said.

"Oh no..." Betty quickly realized the situation and slipped on her slippers, rushing out before I could suggest she throw on a robe over her revealing nightgown. But she seemed not to hear me, her urgency clear as she hurried to Michael's room. I figured, well, Michael's still young, and since he's going to be living with us, he'll see it all eventually. Plus, he's our kid now, no need to be overly concerned.

I quickly got out of bed and followed Betty. When I reached Michael's room, I found Betty sitting on the bed, holding Michael in her arms. He was sweating profusely, trembling, and leaning into Betty's embrace, his eyes tightly shut as if he had been deeply frightened or disturbed.

"It's just a nightmare, kiddo..." Betty said tenderly, looking down at Michael with eyes full of maternal love. Betty has always adored children, and since she couldn't have her own, all her maternal instincts were now fully invested in Michael, quickly adapting to her role as a mother.

"It's okay, it's okay, Mommy's here," Betty soothed, gently patting Michael's back. That's when I noticed Michael's head was nestled right in the cleavage created by Betty's ample bosom, accentuated by her nightgown. The poor kid seemed oblivious to the comfort he was finding in such an intimate embrace.