Tom's POV
Dawn broke through my bedroom windows, but I remained motionless beneath the tangled sheets. The familiar urge to rise and tackle the day had vanished completely. Instead, my bedroom felt cavernous and suffocating, the silence bearing down on me with crushing weight.
My pillowcase was still wet from tears I couldn't recall crying, and my chest ached with a hollowness that felt permanent, as if someone had carved out my very soul.
When I turned toward the nightstand, Joy's blue blanket caught my eye. Camilla must have folded it there yesterday, before our world shattered into pieces. Dark stains still marked the fabric, but I couldn't bring myself to care. That blanket had been Joy's most treasured possession.
My throat constricted painfully. I pressed my knuckles against my lips to stifle the sob threatening to escape.
Yesterday felt like both a lifetime ago and mere seconds past.
My baby girl. My precious daughter. Lost forever.
