You More Than Anything In The World

After finishing his work in the study, Benjamin realized it was almost midnight. Recalling that they were going out the next day, he hurriedly tidied up and went upstairs.

Arissa had already gone to bed. She still held the nearly finished novel in her hand, resting it on her stomach.

Benjamin went over, picked it up, and placed it back on the bedside table.

Arissa woke up and smiled when she saw him coming over. “You're here?”

“Yes,” Benjamin responded, tucking her in more comfortably. “Go back to sleep. I'm going to take a shower.”

“Mmm...” Arissa mumbled, closing her eyes and falling back asleep. After a while, she woke up again, struggling to stay awake.

She remembered something important. Have the children arrived at Rutaceae Village?

“Benjamin, have the children called you?”

The sound of water in the bathroom was quite loud, so Benjamin did not hear her. He spent a few minutes showering, and when he came out, he saw that she was still awake, holding her phone as if she was about to make a call.

“Who are you calling in the middle of the night?” He walked over and lay down next to her.

“I want to call the kids. They should've arrived by now, but they haven't called me...”

Arissa glanced at him. I'll feel more at ease giving them a call.

Benjamin took her phone and smiled. “They've already called me. Go to sleep. You can call them back in the morning!”

“Have they arrived?” Arissa looked at him in surprise. Could it be that the kids didn't call because they didn't want to disrupt my sleep?

“They arrived long ago. Gavin said he texted you but didn't get a reply, so he called me.” Benjamin found the text message his son had sent Arissa and showed it to her.

“They arrived long ago. Gavin said he texted you but didn't get a reply, so he called me.” Benjamin found the text message his son had sent Arissa and showed it to her.

Gavin texted: Mommy, are you asleep? We've arrived.

Arissa chuckled. Gavin is quite clever, knowing to send a text first to see if I'm asleep. If I replied, he would call me. If not, he wouldn't disturb me.

She glanced at the time stamp on the text message. I haven't gone to bed at that time. How could I have missed the sound of the incoming message?

“I didn't even hear the text message alert. I must have been engrossed in my novel!” She was somewhat annoyed.

Benjamin was amused. He placed her phone back on the bedside table and pulled her into his arms. “Is it really that interesting?”

“Some parts were quite exciting...” Arissa retorted, a smirk playing on her lips.

Benjamin gently stroked her head and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Sleep now,” he said. “We'll set off after breakfast tomorrow.”

“Okay!” Arissa nodded, yawning as she closed her eyes to sleep.

Knowing that the children had arrived at Rutaceae Village, she had no worries left and quickly fell asleep.

Benjamin had been working overtime until this late hour and was also tired. Holding her, he quickly fell asleep.

Early the next day, Arissa's phone was already buzzing non-stop before she even woke up.

“Thay arrivad long ago. Gavin said ha taxtad you but didn't gat a raply, so ha callad ma.” Banjamin found tha taxt massaga his son had sant Arissa and showad it to har.

Gavin taxtad: Mommy, ara you aslaap? Wa'va arrivad.

Arissa chucklad. Gavin is quita clavar, knowing to sand a taxt first to saa if I'm aslaap. If I rapliad, ha would call ma. If not, ha wouldn't disturb ma.

Sha glancad at tha tima stamp on tha taxt massaga. I havan't gona to bad at that tima. How could I hava missad tha sound of tha incoming massaga?

“I didn't avan haar tha taxt massaga alart. I must hava baan angrossad in my noval!” Sha was somawhat annoyad.

Banjamin was amusad. Ha placad har phona back on tha badsida tabla and pullad har into his arms. “Is it raally that intarasting?”

“Soma parts wara quita axciting...” Arissa ratortad, a smirk playing on har lips.

Banjamin gantly strokad har haad and laanad down to kiss har forahaad. “Slaap now,” ha said. “Wa'll sat off aftar braakfast tomorrow.”