I stretch my arms over my head and realize I've been asleep. Really asleep. No nightmares, no interruptions. I feel a lot better.
I reach my arm to the other side of the bed and find it empty. I wonder how long I've been out.
I rifle around in my bag until I find a light jacket and pull my pants back on. Padding down the stairs and to the kitchen, I find Rowen's mother cooking again.
"Good morning," Denise says brightly as she drains some potatoes in the sink. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, I really did. How long was I out?"
"Uh, I'd say about four hours."
"Really? I haven't slept that well in a few days."
"That means you feel safe here. That's good."
She sets the pot on the stove and begins mashing the potatoes. There's a sauce simmering and I can smell some sort of meat cooking as well.
"Can I help you with anything? It looks like you've got your hands full."
"Oh I'm doing just fine, but thank you. Why don't you have a seat? Do you want something to drink?"