The night air was chilly, and Lily shivered as she made her way to the bedroom. She had hoped that she and Chris would share the bed, but she knew that was unlikely. He had made it clear that he didn't want to share a bed with her, and she knew that he would likely sleep on the sofa instead.
As she entered the bedroom, she saw that she saw that the bed was empty, just as she had expected. But something was different. Instead of a sofa, there was a large, comfortable-looking chair in the corner of the room. And on the chair was a folded blanket, along with a small pillow. It was clear that Chris had set this up for himself, rather than taking the sofa. And that made Lily's heart sink.
She turned on the bedside lamp and got ready for bed, trying to ignore the feeling of rejection that was creeping up on her. She lay down, pulling the covers up to her chin. The room was cold, and she and she could hear the wind howling outside. It was going to be a long, lonely night.
Just as she was starting to drift off to sleep, she heard the door open. She opened her eyes to see Chris standing in the doorway, looking hesitant. "I... I can't sleep on the chair," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's too uncomfortable. May I... may I sleep here?"
Lily's heart leapt in her chest. She wanted to say yes, to tell him that he could sleep next to her. But she knew that he didn't really want that.
He was just looking for a comfortable place to sleep, and that's all. She couldn't let herself get her hopes up. "Of course," she said, trying to keep her voice neutral. "Just... be quiet, so I can get some sleep."
Chris nodded and made his way over to the bed. He sat down on the edge, and then lay down. He kept to his side of the bed, and he made no attempt to get close to her. But Lily could feel the warmth of his body, and she felt a small flicker of hope. Maybe there was a chance that he did care about her
Maybe there was a chance that he cared about her, and this was his way of showing it. She tried to push the thought away, but it wouldn't go. As she lay there, she felt herself drifting off to sleep, her mind full of questions. And for the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of happiness.
But then, in the middle of the night, something happened that changed everything. Lily woke up with a start, sensing that something was wrong. She sat up in bed, looking around the room. And that's when she saw it. A shadow on the wall, moving towards the window. She felt a wave of fear wash over her, and she held her breath as she watched the shadow move. And then, it seemed to disappear, and the room was dark and still once again. But Lily couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had taken hold of her.
She tried to lie back down, but she couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable. She was too afraid to close her eyes, worried that the shadow would come back. She felt herself start to panic, her heart racing and her breath coming in short gasps. She had to do something, She had to find a way to feel safe again. And then, she remembered something her mother had told her when she was a child. "Whenever you're afraid, close your eyes and imagine a beautiful place," she had said. "Imagine yourself there, surrounded by all the things that make you happy. And let the fear melt away."
Lily closed her eyes and pictured herself on a beach, the sun shining down on her. She felt the warmth on her skin, and she breathed in the salty air. She could hear the waves crashing on the shore, and she felt herself relax. Her heart slowed down,and her breathing returned to normal. She felt a sense of calm and safety wash over her, and she let herself drift off to sleep.
When she woke up, the sun was shining through the window, and she could hear the birds singing outside. She stretched and yawned, and she felt a sense of peace and contentment. And then, she remembered the night before, and the shadow on the wall. But it felt like a distant memory, like something that had happened in another life. And she knew that she was safe.
She got out of bed and started getting ready for the day. As she brushed her hair and put on her clothes, she felt a renewed sense of energy and optimism. She had faced her fears, and she had come out stronger on the other side. She knew that she could face anything that came her way. And she felt ready to start a new day, a new chapter in her life.
She walked downstairs, and she saw Chris sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. And in that moment, she knew that everything was going to be okay.
Lily decided to dress up a little for her visit to the hospital. She wanted to look nice for her mother, and she wanted to feel confident and put-together. She chose a simple but stylish outfit, and she did her hair and makeup carefully. She wanted to look her best, and she wanted to make her mother proud.
When she arrived at the hospital, she walked into her mother's room with a smile on her face. Her mother looked up from her book and beamed at Lily. "You look lovely, my dear," she said. "I'm so glad you're here there.... You look healthy."