"Hi, baby…" River called her; her voice was slightly trembling. "I am sorry, I woke you up…" She stretched out her hand to touch her, but Ashlyn moved away from her.
The little girl looked at River with a frown, and when her eyes caught sight of her father, she hastily went to Ranon and raised both of her arms, asking to be picked up.
River should have known this; she had prepared herself, but to see her daughter move away because she was scared broke something inside her.
This was another kind of pain. It almost felt physical, as if someone just stomped on her chest.
Ashlyn jumped up and down on the bed, tugging Ranon's shirt so he would pick her up, while glancing at River occasionally, afraid and upset.
And when Ranon finally picked her up, she wrapped her arms around Ranon's neck. She buried her face against his shoulder, refusing to see River.
Ashlyn had never seen her before, and she didn't respond well to a stranger.
