Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 65104 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65104 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Afterward, we light the fire pit. Junior roasts marshmallows with fierce concentration, loses the first one in the flames but perfects the second. He presents it to Lyra like a trophy. She declares it the best in history, and he puffs with pride. I make him another and add a square of chocolate.
When the fire burns to coals, we take him inside for bedtime. He picks two books, changes his mind three times, then decides his wolf needs both stories anyway. Lyra and I trade pages until he falls asleep mid-sentence. I tuck him in beneath the quilt, and kiss his head.
The living room is warm when I return, the hearth fire painting the walls gold. Lyra stretches across the couch, and I sit beside her, lifting her feet into my lap. I massage her calves and ankles, careful with the pressure, and she sighs like the weight of the world has eased off her. We talk about baby names again, circling back to the two we’re stuck between. I want something strong, she wants something versatile. We agree we’ll wait until we see her face.
We clean up together in companionable silence, then step onto the deck one last time. The stars spill across the sky, clear and endless. Lyra leans into me, and I wrap my arms around her. I breathe her in, steadied by her familiar scent.
Inside, we dim the lights and climb into bed. We lie facing each other, hands entwined, talking about everything and nothing at all. Our life is safe and perfect, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
The End