Carina pov
As I was leaving his room that morning, he called me back.
"Carina."
I stopped at the door and turned.
"I need you to be closer to me," he said. His voice was quiet and straightforward, without performance. "Can you always be with me going forward?"
"Yes," I said. "I will."
He was quiet for a moment. "I also want us to sleep in the same bed."
I looked at him. He was sitting in his chair, his cane resting across his knees, his expression calm and waiting.
"Alright," I said.
I told myself it was a practical arrangement. Two people in a contract marriage sharing a room already. A bed was simply the next logical step. It meant nothing beyond what it was.
I told myself that several times throughout the day.
That same night I went to the bathroom to shower before bed. The w
