Chapter 135

Water splashed in Isaiah’s face for the hundredth time as the sound of child’s laughter filled the bathroom. He looked down at my son, who apparently got a kick out of throwing soap in my face. Each time seemed funnier to him than the last.

“Arias, we’ve been in here for twenty minutes. You have to let me wash you,” Isaiah said, trying to grab him, but Arias slipped out of reach. Still thinking Isaiah was playing a game. “That’s it. I’m coming in.”

Arias shrieked, trying to get away from him. Who knew bath time could be this fun. After another ten minutes, Isaiah was able to fully wash and dress Arias for bed. Isaiah laid him down in his crib and grabbed a book from the bookshelf.

For the past few months, this has been their routine since Zira was… unavailable. After James passed, she barely survived it without Arias’s help. She felt like her being weak was the reason James passed. The reason Alaia was able to get to him and almost get to Arias. She blamed herself