The house had grown quiet. Josias could feel the intentional absence of the adults; everyone had retired to their rooms to leave him and Melissa alone.
Everyone, that is, except William.
“William, aren’t you going to doze off?” Melissa asked with amused exasperation.
“Aren’t you going to doze off, sis?” William replied with a mock-polite grin.
Melissa laughed, but Josias remained serious.
“I thought it was clear to you that everyone wanted to give us some space,” Melissa explained sweetly, trying to nudge him out.
“That’s the thing. I don’t want to leave you alone,” William countered, bouncing slightly with his arms folded tight. “I don’t want you getting pregnant.”
Josias winced. William clearly wasn’t at ease yet. He decided to take the floor, trying to diffuse the tension with a
