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I turned to check the screen and nearly sprayed my mouthful of tea all over the coffee table. “The Sixth Sense?” I scoffed in disbelief.

“You see dead people,” he replied, deadpan, and I laughed out loud.

He grinned like an idiot, and I grabbed the one and only cushion in the room and threw it at him.

“I can’t believe you said that.”

“Maybe not, eh?” He chuckled.

I shook my head, still giggling.

“I love it when you laugh.” A small smile teased his lips. “I just don’t hear you very often.”

“Not much to laugh about.”

“I know. What about a classic?”

“Classic movie?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait. Do you have Disney?”

“I think so.” Dylan used the remote once more and chose the Disney+ app. “What do you want to watch?”

There is no way he’ll want to see this.

“Tell me.”

“Frozen,” I whispered.

He gazed at me blankly for what seemed like ages.

“Don’t judge me.”

“I wouldn’t dare. If you want to watch Frozen, Frozen it is.”

“Thank you.” My voice was barely audible.

This movie was my go-to. A favorite from my childhood. It was a safe place. If I was going to reintroduce TV and film into my life, what better place to start than Anna and Elsa. Anna had always been my heroine. After all, she had red hair.

And she loved her sibling like I did.

Chapter XXI Firsts

I woke, jerked into consciousness, panting with fear from a nightmare. Disoriented, I scanned the room, where shadows danced from the light of the late summer moon. Where was I?

It took a nanosecond for the penny to drop. I was huddled on the sofa beneath a blanket, my head on Dylan’s thigh, and he was sitting up but fast asleep, his arm on my shoulder. The room was dark, the TV a blank screen.

Dylan stirred, opened his eyes, and inhaled slowly. “Hi,” he said, rubbing his face, then running fingers through his hair, making it spiky. “You okay?” He reached out and switched on the table lamp.

Blinking, I sat up and tried to clear my thoughts. “I had a bad dream. About my mum, and Webster, I think. I can’t remember the details.”

Dylan reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. “After all you’ve been through, I’m not surprised you’re having bad dreams. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when it happened. I should never have left you alone.”

“It’s not your fault. You can’t stay with me full-time, Dylan. I’m not a child.”

“Can I remind you, we’ve just watched Frozen.”