Avery rolled out of bed in the middle of the night.

The crash woke me, followed by the soft cry of startlement.

I scooped him into my arms, pulling him into bed with me.

He settled against my chest almost immediately.

His breathing slowed. One hand rested against my shirt.

I hadn’t held him like that since he was a baby.

I stayed awake.

Feeling his weight.

His warmth.

~

Earlier that evening, after we’d checked into the hotel and settled the kids down for an evening movie, I’d walked back alone to retrieve our luggage from the train station lockers.

Osaka was still moving around me. Neon reflected off the wet pavement. People flowed past the restaurants and through the covered streets, carrying bags of food home for the night.

When I returned, Dani had opened a box on the table.

“Cheesecake. From Dotonbori.”

She cut me a piece.

I looked at the rest.

“We should probably save some for tomorrow.”

She looked at me.

I took a bite.

“Okay. We don’t have to save it.”

She cut herself another piece.

~

Avery’s breathing stayed slow against my chest.

Outside the window, Osaka had gone quiet.

Our bags were already packed. In the morning we’d take them downstairs, find the station, and start moving again.

I listened to him breathe.

He shifted once, then settled back against me.

I ran my hand over his hair.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

He closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, I carried him back to his bed.

He was heavy now.

I pulled the blanket up to his chin. He reached out and caught my finger.

I stayed there until he let go.

~

In the morning, Avery woke clapping along to Bingo Was His Name-O.

Dani looked over at me.

“He’s getting so big.”

Avery stopped clapping.

He looked at us.

Then he meowed.

Dani laughed.

He meowed again.