MY SUGAR MUMMY IS A BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE

The next morning, in the guest room, Reggie stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he stirred up from his sleep. For a moment, he lay still, listening to the gentle chorus of birdsong outside and the distant rustle of leaves in the morning breeze.

With a soft groan, he pushed himself up. The recent happenings played through his mind as he dressed – the worry etched deep in Blake's face, and the bittersweet joy of spending time with Celena. As he buttoned his shirt, Reggie's gaze fell on a crayon drawing taped to the wall – depicting a man holding the hand of a little girl and standing beside a woman laid peacefully on a bed.

'A family picture drawn by Celena', Reggie thought.

A lump formed in his throat as he thought about leaving them.

The aroma of fresh coffee drew him to the kitchen, where he found Blake already up, staring absently into a steaming mug. "Morning," Reggie said softly, not wanting to startle his friend.

Blake looked up, offering a wan smile. "Hey. Coffee's fresh if you want some."

As Reggie poured himself a cup, he studied Blake's face. "How are you holding up?" Reggie asked, though he could guess the answer.

Blake shrugged, his gaze drifting towards the cup of coffee in his hand. "Taking it day by day, I guess. It's just..." He trailed off, struggling to find the words.

Reggie laid a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know, man. I know."

Their quiet moment was interrupted by the patter of small feet. Celena appeared in the doorway, her hair tousled from sleep, clutching her stuffed rabbit. Her face lit up when she saw Reggie. "Uncle Reggie!"

Reggie scooped her up, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Good morning, munchkin. I'm glad you caught me before I took my leave. Couldn't leave without saying goodbye to my favorite girl, could I?"

As he set her down, he saw the smile fade from Celena's face. "You're leaving?" she asked, her lower lip trembling slightly.

Reggie knelt down to her level, his heart aching at the sadness in her eyes. "I have to go home, sweetheart. Your Aunt Nana is home alone. I'm sure she misses me as much as I do, so I need to leave. But I'll come back to visit soon, I promise."

Blake stepped in, his voice gentle. "How about we make Uncle Reggie a special breakfast before he goes? Pancakes sound good?"

Celena nodded, her spirits lifting slightly at the prospect of cooking. As they moved around the kitchen, mixing batter and heating the griddle, Reggie marveled at the resilience of children. Despite the heavy atmosphere that had settled over the cabin, Celena's laughter as she helped flip pancakes brought a lightness to the room that had been sorely missing.

After breakfast, as Blake helped Celena get dressed for the day, Reggie took a moment to check on Rose. Standing in the doorway of the master bedroom, he watched the peaceful look on her face as she laid motionless.

"Come on, Rose," he whispered. "Hang in there. Your family needs you."

As the morning wore on, the inevitable moment of departure drew near. Reggie packed his overnight bag, double-checking to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. When he emerged from the guest room, he found Celena waiting for him, a piece of paper clutched in her small hands.

"I made this for you, Uncle Reggie," she said, holding out the drawing. It showed two figures – Celena and Reggie – holding hands at the lake.

Reggie felt his throat tighten with emotion. He knelt down, pulling Celena into a tight hug. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'll keep this with me always."

As they walked out to Reggie's car, the mood grew somber. Celena clung to Reggie's leg, her earlier excitement replaced by a quiet sadness. Blake stood by, his face a mask of forced calm.

Reggie turned to his friend, gripping his shoulders firmly. "Listen to me, Blake. You're stronger than you know. This isn't going to be easy, but you can do this. Be patient. Take it one day at a time.

And remember, you're not alone in this. We're all here for you, just a phone call away."

Blake nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. He pulled Reggie into a fierce hug, conveying without words his gratitude for his friend's support.

Finally, Reggie crouched down to Celena's level. "You be good for your dad, okay munchkin? And keep telling those great stories to your mom. I bet she loves hearing them."

Celena nodded solemnly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Will you come back soon?"

"As soon as I can," Reggie promised, giving her one last hug before climbing into his car.

As he drove away, Reggie watched in the rearview mirror as Blake and Celena grew smaller, two figures standing close together in front of the cabin. His heart felt heavy with the weight of leaving them behind.

The days that followed settled into a routine for Blake and Celena. Each morning, Blake would wake early, checking on Rose before starting breakfast. He'd gently rouse Celena, helping her dress for the day as they chatted about her plans for coloring or playing in the garden.

***

One particularly sunny morning, as Blake was finishing up the dishes from breakfast, Celena tugged at his sleeve. "Daddy, can we water the flowers? They look thirsty."

Blake smiled, grateful for the distraction. "Sure thing, little star. Let's go see how our garden's doing."

Hand in hand, they walked out to the small plot beside the cabin. The summer flowers were in full bloom, a riot of colors against the backdrop of green forest. Blake helped Celena fill her little watering can, watching as she carefully tended to each plant.

"Mommy loves these purple ones, right Daddy?" Celena asked, pointing to a cluster of lavender.

Blake nodded, swallowing past the sudden tightness in his throat. "That's right, sweetheart. They're her favorite."

As Celena continued her watering, Blake's mind wandered to Rose. Would she wake to see the flowers in bloom? Would she be there to plant new bulbs in the fall? The uncertainty of it all weighed heavily on him.

The ringing of his phone startled Blake from his reverie. Pulling it from his pocket, he saw Reggie's name on the screen. "Hey, Reg," he answered, trying to keep his voice light for Celena's sake.

"Blake, hey," Reggie's voice came through, a note of urgency in his tone. "Listen, I need to see you. Can you come to my place tomorrow? There's something we need to discuss."

Blake felt a flutter of anxiety in his chest. "Is everything okay? What's going on?"

"It's... complicated," Reggie hedged. "I'd rather not get into it over the phone. Can you make it?"

Blake glanced at Celena, still happily tending to the flowers. "I'll have to bring Celena with me. There's no one to watch her here."

"That's fine," Reggie assured him. "Just... try to get here, okay?"

After ending the call, Blake stood for a moment, his mind racing. What could be so urgent that Reggie needed to see him in person? And how was he going to manage a trip to the city with Celena in tow?

That evening, as he tucked Celena into bed, Blake tried to explain their upcoming journey. "We're going on a little trip tomorrow, sweetheart. To the city to see Uncle Reggie and Aunt Nana."

Celena's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? Can we also see the tall buildings? And the park with the big playground?"

Blake chuckled, relieved at her enthusiasm. "We'll see what we can do. But first, we need to get a good night's sleep. We've got a big day ahead of us."

As Celena drifted off to sleep, Blake retreated to the bedroom, sinking into the bed beside Rose. He found himself dwelling on Reggie's cryptic phone call, a sense of unease settling in his stomach.

What news could Reggie have that required an in-person meeting? Was it about Rose's condition? Or was it something else entirely? The possibilities swirled in Blake's mind, each scenario more worrying than the last.