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Noah shifted on the floor. His hand brushed the extra blanket, and then he looked toward the bed.

Claire closed her eyes before he could catch her watching.

A moment later, she heard the softest laugh. She smiled into his pillow.

Once she was certain he had fallen back asleep, she carefully slipped out of bed and entered the kitchen. Maggie was in the kitchen already, at the table with her coffee. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down with her.

About thirty minutes later, Noah entered.

Claire looked at him and smiled. “Good morning.”

“Morning.” He went to the coffee pot to get himself a cup. “You need more?” he asked, holding up a mug.

“Yes, please.”

He poured himself a cup, black, then reached for another mug.

Noah’s dad walked in. He noticed him pouring Claire’s coffee. “You always take care of everybody else first,” he observed.

“He’s always been like that,” Emily said, coming in behind Will. She smiled at Claire. “Always noticing everyone else before himself.”

Noah didn’t acknowledge them. Instead, he opened the fridge and frowned. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“We don’t have oat milk.”

Claire stifled a laugh. “It’s fine, Noah, use the coffee creamer. I like that one.”

“I’m sorry,” Maggie said. “You didn’t tell me to buy Claire oat milk. I would have.”

“It’s okay, Maggie, I don’t need oat milk,” Claire assured her.

Ainsley came into the kitchen, proudly holding up a paper. “Look what I drew!”

Claire, Noah, Maggie, and Will gathered to look at her drawing.

“I drew our family,” she told them. “Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy, Uncle Noah, Aunt Claire, me, and Biscuit!”

“Aunt Claire?” Noah asked. “When did that happen?”

“Yesterday,” Ainsley informed him.

“You decided that yesterday?” He couldn’t help but grin.

“Yes,” Claire whispered to him. “I was looking at you for help, but you didn’t notice.”

He laughed. “I like it.”

Noah caught his mom’s eye. She smiled knowingly.

He looked away, suddenly becoming very interested in his coffee.

Too quickly, it was time to say goodbye.

Maggie hugged Claire a little longer than she needed to. “You’re welcome here anytime.”

Claire swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”