Chapter 4

The Parent Trap

Kory woke up the next morning feeling like she had barely slept at all. The first thing she noticed was the sound of tiny feet running around the apartment. Lila, of course, was already wide awake and in full "destroy the apartment" mode.

Kory groaned, rolling off the couch, rubbing her face as she sat up. “How do parents do this every day?” she muttered to herself.

In her head, Adrian’s voice chuckled again. You’re still alive, aren’t you?

“Barely,” she mumbled, stumbling into the kitchen where Lila was sitting at the table, surrounded by an ocean of cereal and milk. “Lila! What happened here?!”

“I made breakfast!” Lila announced proudly, holding up a spoonful of what looked like a horrifying mix of cereal, peanut butter, and yoghurt.

Kory pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to resist the urge to scream. “Okay… great effort, sweetie, but let’s stick to something simple for now.”

As she cleaned up the mess and made Lila an actual breakfast, Kory couldn’t help but wonder if this was some sort of cosmic punishment. Like, had she done something in a past life to deserve this? She wasn’t cut out for parenthood. She was a freelance writer! She spent her days in sweatpants, eating instant noodles, and staring at a laptop screen—not chasing a toddler around like some underpaid daycare worker.

As if reading her mind (well, he kind of could), Adrian’s voice popped up again. You’re doing better than you think.

“Yeah, well, you try it,” Kory muttered under her breath as she set a plate of toast and scrambled eggs in front of Lila, who immediately started smashing the eggs with her spoon

I would if I could, Adrian’s voice said, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Kory sighed, sitting down at the table across from Lila. “I know…" Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

Lila looked up from her eggs, her face covered in crumbs, and gave Kory a big, innocent smile. “You’re funny.”

Kory blinked. “Funny?”

Lila nodded. “You talk to yourself a lot.”

Kory froze. Oh no. Oh no. Had Lila noticed? Was Kory about to be the weirdo who got caught talking to the voice in her head? How could she explain this to a two-year-old?

“Well, uh, sometimes grown-ups do that,” Kory stammered, trying to sound casual. “It helps us think.”

Lila didn’t seem too interested in the explanation, though. “Can we go see Daddy today?” she asked, her big, innocent eyes locking onto Kory’s.

Kory’s heart sank. “Sweetie, your daddy’s still… sleeping. Remember? He’s not awake yet.”

“I know,” Lila said, her tiny voice surprisingly firm. “But I want to see him.”

Kory hesitated. Taking Lila back to the hospital was tricky. She didn’t want the little girl to keep seeing Adrian like that—hooked up to machines, unmoving. But how could she say no to those eyes?

“All right,” Kory said softly. “We can visit Daddy after breakfast.”

---

Later that day, Kory and Lila found themselves back at the hospital. Lila clung to Kory’s hand as they made their way to Adrian’s room, her little face serious. Kory couldn’t help but feel nervous, not only about seeing Adrian again but also about how much Lila understood. Did she really know what was happening with her dad?

When they entered the room, Kory felt that same pang of sadness as she saw Adrian lying there, still unconscious. Lila ran over to the bed, looking up at her father with wide eyes.

“Hi, Daddy,” she said, her voice quiet.

Kory swallowed, standing back, unsure of what to say or do. She watched as Lila reached out and placed her tiny hand on Adrian’s arm, her expression full of hope.

For a second, Kory heard Adrian’s voice in her head again. Hey, Lila. I miss you so much.

Kory felt her heart tighten. She wanted to say something comforting, something that could ease Lila’s pain, but what could she possibly say that would make this situation better? Adrian was stuck in a coma, and she was barely keeping it together as his makeshift babysitter.

But then Lila did something that made Kory’s jaw drop.

Lila turned to Kory and said, “Daddy says he misses me too.”

Kory’s eyes went wide. “What?”

“Daddy said he misses me,” Lila repeated, nodding confidently. “And he said thank you for taking care of me.”

Kory stared at the little girl, her heart pounding in her chest. There was no way Lila could’ve known what Adrian had said. No way. And yet, there it was. Did… did Lila have the same mind-reading ability that Kory did? Was it possible?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Adrian’s voice again. I guess she takes after her dad more than we thought.

Kory let out a small, disbelieving laugh. “You’re telling me,” she whispered under her breath.

For the rest of the visit, Lila chattered away to her unconscious father, telling him all about the adventures she and Kory had been having. Kory stood in the background, watching with a mix of amusement and awe. This kid was something else. She was strong, and even though the situation was far from ideal, she wasn’t letting it get her down.

As they left the hospital, Kory felt a strange sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay. And maybe she wasn’t as terrible at this whole parenting thing as she thought.

But as they walked back to the car, Lila suddenly turned to Kory with a mischievous grin. “Do you talk to Daddy too?”

Kory froze. “Uh… why do you ask?”

“‘Cause you look like you’re listening to him,” Lila said, giggling. “Like you can hear him in your head, just like me.”

Kory’s mouth dropped open. This little girl was way too perceptive for her own good. She quickly scrambled for an answer. “Um, well… sometimes I just pretend to talk to him,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant. “It helps me feel closer to him.”

Lila raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Okay,” she said slowly, but the smile on her face told Kory she wasn’t off the hook yet.

As they drove home, Kory couldn’t help but laugh to herself. She had survived another day of toddler chaos, mind-reading revelations, and awkward hospital visits. And somehow, despite everything, she was still standing.

"Yeah, okay," she muttered to herself. "Maybe I am funny."

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