I know I am intentionally delaying the bedtime tonight. I want her close to me, her smell, the softness of her skin. The hug just calms me down, as simple as that. I look into her big brown eyes and draw my two-year-old even closer. “One more sniff,” I say.

Ellie Nik is a teacher/researcher who lives in Sydney, Australia. She writes as a way of self-discovery.