Chapter 112 Midnight Call, Nightmare
When Gabriel returned, Sam was already asleep.
However, after he left, Sam suddenly woke up from a nightmare, tears streaming down. Scared but unable to make a sound, he could only curl up at the head of the bed.
The next day at kindergarten.
Ethan and Emma each held one of Sam's hands as they lined up for lunch. Seeing these three children playing so well together, the teachers were pleased, and the other children envied their close bond and wanted to join them. However, Ethan and Emma found ways to reject them.
Sam only wanted to play with them and didn't like getting close to others. They wanted to protect Sam, guiding him slowly. He wouldn't be able to handle suddenly playing with so many people.
In the past, Emma would've definitely become the popular kid. She was adorable, and all the children wanted to get close to her. Even Ethan, with his cool demeanor and tendency to keep strangers at bay, attracted many children who wanted to play with him.
After nap time, the teachers played games with the children, and once they were energized, they went back to the classroom for arts and crafts.
"Sam, look at the paper boat I made," Emma turned and noticed Sam sleeping with his head on the table, holding an origami in his hand.
Ethan raised his head.
Emma nudged him, "Sam, how did you fall asleep again?"
Sam opened his eyes, looking innocent and disoriented like a little deer.
"You've been loving to sleep lately," Emma teased.
Ethan felt something was off. Did Sam not sleep at night?
At the end of the class, Emma gathered everyone, and Ethan wore a serious expression.
"Sam, what time do you go to bed at night?"
Sam softly answered, "Nine o'clock."
Ethan wrinkled his brows and tightly pursed his small mouth.
"Do you have nightmares at night?"
"Um, I had nightmares the night before last and last night."
"What kind of nightmares?"
Sam thought for a moment, struggling to remember.
He only knew that he was very scared, as if there was a demon staring at him in the room. Every time he woke up, it felt like there were eyes outside the window watching him.
Emma suddenly ran off and returned shortly with a small doll in her hands, which she then handed to Sam.
"Whenever I have nightmares, I hold onto this doll, and then I'm not scared anymore."
Sam looked at the doll, something typically played with by girls.
"My mommy made this doll. It will protect you."
Sam accepted it, saying, "Thank you."
Emma pouted, feeling upset, "You're my little brother, you can't be so polite."
Sam corrected her again, "I'm your big brother."
"I don't care; I have to be the big sister."
Sam ...
Ethan chuckled from the side.
As long as his position as the big brother remained, it didn't matter who played the role of big sister. After all, they were all his siblings.
Although Sam couldn't sleep well due to nightmares, Ethan still felt something was off.
He suspected that the bad woman was up to no good again.
But he had no evidence.
More importantly, he didn't know the reason why Sam kept having nightmares.
Nightmare.
With a heavy heart, Ethan didn't have much of an appetite for dinner.
Sophia glanced at Sam but didn't ask him immediately. Instead, she waited until they finished watching the cartoon and got ready for bed, when the whole world quieted down and the busyness of the day finally subsided.
"Ethan, is something happening at kindergarten?"
Ethan and Emma both cuddled up to mom.
Emma's eyes were wide open, full of energy. She pricked up her ears to listen to mom educating her brother, secretly relishing the moment.
Hehe, usually it's her who gets scolded by mom. Is it finally her brother's turn today?
Grandma's voice came through, "Mommy, today Sam said he has nightmares every night."
Sophia's heart tightened as she pulled both of her children closer.
"What does he dream about?"
"He says he doesn't remember."
Sophia comforted gently, "Don't worry, having nightmares is normal. You and Emma also have nightmares, right? Sam has his daddy with him, and soon he won't have nightmares anymore."
She was really worried about Sam. Children get scared when they have nightmares, and they often need an adult beside them, especially Sam. If there's no adult around, his fear would likely multiply.
She hoped Gabriel could be a good father, sleeping with Sam and comforting him well.
Sophia soothed the two children to sleep, but she couldn't fall asleep herself.
The night was long, with a north wind howling outside, yet the room was warm and cozy. Sophia checked the time, and it was already 1 a.m.
She quietly got out of bed, put on a coat, and walked out of the room.
Gabriel had just fallen asleep not long ago when his cellphone rang on the bedside table, waking him up.
In the middle of the night, no one dared to disturb his rest unless it was an emergency.
Thinking it was an urgent matter from the company, he picked up the phone and saw Sophia's name.
Pausing for a moment, he answered it.
"Hello." His voice had a hint of magnetic laziness that made the listener's heart flutter.
Sophia felt goosebumps all over from hearing his voice, but her worrisome heart took precedence, consciously ignoring Gabriel's pleasant voice.
"What about Sam?"
Calling in the middle of the night to ask about Sam?
Common sense told her that Sam must be sleeping at this hour.
"He's sleeping," he replied, his tone impatient and colder.
"Did you sleep with him?"
What does Sophia want to do exactly?
"He has his own room."
So, Sam sleeps alone in a room?
Sophia was a bit angry.
"He's sick, and you let him sleep alone. Gabriel, do you even know how to take care of a child? No wonder Sam has nightmares."
"How do you know Sam has nightmares?"
Gabriel knew how to pinpoint the key information.
Sophia's eyes flickered. Thankfully it was a phone call; otherwise, she felt like Gabriel would see right through her.
"When I saw Sam the other day, he told me that he sometimes has nightmares and gets very scared. Gabriel, children often have nightmares, but thankfully Sam has his daddy with him."
"The time is when parents need to accompany their children. If you... " Gabriel knew that she was about to say something like, "If you can't be there, let me go instead," but he didn't want to hear it and interrupted her directly. "I understand; I'll go check on him now." He was about to hang up the phone.
"Don't hang up, tell me the situation after you've checked on him," Sophia hated herself for not being able to be by Sam's side, and she hated Gabriel even more for being the cause of it all.
Gabriel felt that Sophia was deliberately making trouble. He had just visited Sam half an hour ago, and Sam was fast asleep. Besides, Sam was used to sleeping alone. When Gabriel suggested that Sam move to his room, Sam also refused. He respected the child's opinion and didn't insist on Sam sleeping in the same room as him.
Nonetheless, Gabriel still went to Sam's room and gently opened the door.
"Ah..." Suddenly, a scream came from inside.
"Sam!" Sophia called out anxiously through the phone.
Sam was indeed having a nightmare!
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