~ Niamh ~
A small, persistent hand tugged at my shoulder, dragging me out of a sleep so deep it felt like I'd been underwater.
I groaned, burying my face further into the pillow, my body heavy with the leftover exhaustion of the night before.
But the tugging didn't stop.
"Mama. Mama, wake up."
Matteo's voice was small, trembling with a mix of fear and impatience.
I forced my eyes open, blinking against the harsh stabs of light peeking through the gaps in the heavy curtains. The sun was high—way too high.
I sat up abruptly, a low, rhythmic headache thrumming behind my eyes. Matteo was standing by the bed, his lip wobbling.
The moment our eyes met, the terror on his face melted into immense relief, like he'd been standing there for an hour wondering if I was ever coming back to him.
"I'm awake, sweetie. I'm here," I croaked, reaching out to pull him into a hug. My head spun for a second.
I glanced at the bedside clock and nearly choked. 10:45 AM!
