Claire's tears woke him

When Claire gently brushed her tiny fingers across my face an electric sensation surged from my scalp throughout my entire body pulling me from the depths of a deep slumber.

Her soft whimpering filled the air, stirring a profound sense of grief within me. The sound of her cries tugged at my heartstrings; I could never bear to see her in tears whether they were shed for me or caused by someone else's actions.

In that moment, I knew I had to act. I turned to her and asked who had made her cry hoping to catch her attention and let her know I was awake.

To my surprise, my little angel looked utterly shocked. I then playfully inquired if she had missed me and the expression that crossed her face was nothing short of beautiful.

But I could no longer contain my feelings. I began to plead with her, "Please, don’t turn me away my baby girl. If it’s the age difference that concerns you don’t let that come between us." I broached the topic of our age differences because she was just 18 and I was