When the alarm chimes at five a.m., I reach over, grab my phone from the nightstand, and turn it off, then roll back to my sunshine. She hasn’t cracked open an eye, but there’s a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’ve gotta go, sunshine.” “Mmm . . . do you have to?” She nuzzles her face against me. Okay, now I know she’s still asleep. I lean down and kiss her forehead, like it’s the most natural thing in the world, and feel her smile grow instead of her body recoiling. I could get used to this version of Maddie. The affectionate one. The one who doesn’t pull back and shy away from me. “I’ll
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