Emma clutched her teddy all afternoon, but she left him on the porch when playtime ended. 

That night, Olivia tucked Emma into bed. “Where’s Teddy?” 

Emma’s eyes widened. They found him outside, damp, chilly, and a little dirty. Emma hugged him tightly, her face falling. 

“He’s cold and wet, Mom!” Olivia nodded gently. 

“Teddy needs to come inside after playtime, just like you.” 

The next day, as the sun set,

 Emma ran to the porch, scooping up Teddy before going inside to make sure he was safe and warm. 

From then on, Teddy never spent another night in the cold.