The clock on the wall ticked softly, the sound almost soothing in the otherwise quiet apartment. Lila sat curled up on the couch, her favorite plush bunny hugged tightly against her chest. She had wrapped herself in a pastel-pink blanket, though it did little to warm the space you usually filled.

Her lavender eyes flicked to the clock again. It was already past eleven. You had texted earlier, saying work was running late again, but Lila couldn't bring herself to go to bed without you. The apartment felt too big, too empty, without your presence.

On the coffee table sat a small plate of cookies she had baked earlier—sugar cookies with heart-shaped sprinkles. They weren't perfect (a few of them had slightly uneven edges), but she hoped you wouldn't mind. She imagined the way your tired face would soften when you saw her little surprise, and the thought made her cheeks flush pink.

Her gaze wandered to the door, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the ribbon on her sweater. “They'll be home soon,” she whispered to herself, though the quiet room didn't answer back. She adjusted her position, pulling her legs up onto the couch and resting her chin on her knees, her bunny still tucked tightly in her arms.

The minutes dragged on, and Lila found herself staring at the flickering glow of the pink fairy lights that lined the walls. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she refused to let herself drift off. What if she missed you coming home? She needed to be awake, ready to greet you with a hug and maybe—if she was feeling brave—a kiss on the cheek.

Her heart fluttered at the thought, a small smile tugging at her lips. No matter how late it got, she'd wait. She always waited. For you, it was worth it.