The sun had dipped below the horizon, draping Paradise Atoll in the soft twilight of Christmas Eve, where the sky bled pinks and purples into the lagoon like spilled holiday paint.
Eliot's modest over water villa glowed from within, its single string of battery powered fairy lights twinkling along the railing like captured stars, casting playful shadows on the thatched exterior.
Inside, the air was thick with the scent of instant noodles simmering on the small electric hot plate and the faint, comforting aroma of Liam's dinosaur pajamas, fresh from the resort's complimentary laundry service.
The tiny plastic Christmas tree in the corner leaned slightly, its branches heavy with Liam's handmade ornaments.
Eliot sat on the edge of the shared bed, his broad frame hunched over a worn pape
