This work contains themes and scenes intended for mature readers (18+). It explores intimacy, emotional complexity, and adult relationships through contemporary romance and erotic realism. Reader discretion is advised.
The Anchor
Intimacy In Shared Silence
Cotton shifts from observer to anchor as she comforts Jasmin, who is terrified by her father's dementia, finding intimacy in shared silence.
An Excerpt from this Chapter...
Cotton made tea. She fumbled with the kettle. She dropped the spoon. It clattered loudly.
Calm down.
She brought the tea to the couch. Jasmin was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the cushions.
Cotton sat next to her.
“The small wolf,” Jasmin whispered into her mug. “That’s cute, right? It’s funny.”
“It is,” Cotton said.
“It’s terrifying.” Jasmin looked at Cotton. “He’s the smartest man I know. He taught me how to read. And now he’s… erasing.”
Cotton put her hand on Jasmin’s knee. It was a hesitant touch.
“I’m sorry,” Cotton said. It felt inadequate.
Jasmin leaned her head on Cotton’s shoulder. She smelled of rain and Cotton’s laundry detergent.
“Just stay,” Jasmin said. “Don’t fix it. Just stay.”
Cotton stiffened. Her instinct was to fix. To classify. Subject: Grieving daughter. Needs distraction.
But Jasmin didn’t want distraction. She wanted weight.
Cotton relaxed her shoulders. She leaned her head against Jasmin’s.
“I’m here,” Cotton said.
The Morning
They fell asleep like that. Sitting up. Uncomfortable.
Cotton woke up at 4:00 AM with a crick in her neck. The rain had stopped. The apartment was silent.
Jasmin was asleep on her shoulder. Her mouth was open slightly. She was drooling on Cotton’s flannel shirt.
It was gross. It was human.
Cotton didn’t move. She let her arm go numb.
She watched the dust motes dance in the streetlamp light coming through the window.
She thought about the classification notebook.
She thought about writing this down. Subject: Jasmin. Vulnerable.
But she didn’t want to write it down.
She wanted to keep it.