And for the first time in weeks, Elara closed her eyes and let the quiet music of her own heart sing her to sleep.
“And now here,” he said, guiding her other hand to her own chest.
“No,” said Grandfather. “It’s a promise. Your heart is telling you, I am still here. And I will keep going, even when you’re asleep. ”
“The sound,” she said. “That lub-dub thing. It won’t let me sleep.”
That night, Elara didn’t hide under the blanket. She placed one hand on Barnaby and one hand on her chest. The dark was still there, but the sound no longer scared her. It felt like a friend counting time just for her.
Lub-dub. Lub-dub.