CHAPTER Forty-Five

　　Gracie

　　I got woken up with the sound of Ryland whimpering and talking in his sleep.

　　“No, leave her alone,” he cried.

　　I knew he was having another one of his nightmares about his sperm donor! He still has them some nights, not as much as he used to, but they still came from time to time. I would need to let him come out of it himself because I tried to wake him once, and it made him freak out more. I learned not to do it again! I hated that I couldn’t do anything.

　　He continued to whimper and repeat the words ‘stop’. It broke my heart hearing him like this. He was thrashing about the bed. This continued for a good ten minutes before he suddenly shot up.

　　“Gracie” His voice sounded broken and panicked as he spoke my name.

　　“Ryland, I am right here,” I whispered.

　　He turned to face me, and the light from the moon coming through the window was enough to show me the sadness, the fear in his eyes. He was sweating.