The next morning, Marcel sat slumped in the chair, his head nodding as he drifted in and out of sleep. A sudden jolt startled him awake, and he rubbed his eyes, disoriented for a moment. His gaze immediately landed on Jenna, her breathing shallow but steady.
"The doctors said you'd wake up by morning," he whispered softly, watching her still form with a mixture of hope and fear. He wiped away the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes and glanced at the clock — it was seven in the morning.
Just then, the door slid open, and Ariel walked in.
Marcel quickly stood up, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Ariel, you didn’t have to come. The kids—" His voice faltered as Ariel cut him off by pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Nik's with them. I had to be here," Ariel murmure
