That night, Alyssa didn’t sleep. She sat on the floor of her room, cross-legged, while Benito remained in his usual spot—under the desk. She didn’t try to touch him. She didn’t say a word. She just sat there, reading her book aloud in a low, steady voice. First a paragraph. Then a page. Then a chapter.
Gus lifts his head, snorts softly, and rests his chin back on her knee. Alyssa rosales dog