Anne sat quietly in the passenger seat, watching the city pass by through the car window. The tension between her and Damien hadn't completely disappeared, but today she had made a decision. She wasn't going to press him about his thoughts on Jackson's accusations. Not yet. Instead, she was going to take Emily's advice and work on their relationship.
The next day, Damien insisted on taking both her and Ryan out for the day. Shopping, of all things. It wasn't something Anne enjoyed, but the way Ryan's face lit up when Damien suggested it made it impossible for her to refuse. As they arrived at the shopping district, Ryan bounced in his seat, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Are we going to get toys?" Ryan asked eagerly, his blue eyes wide with anticipation.
Damien chuckled, parking the car. "Toys, clothes, whatever you want, buddy."
Ryan cheered as Anne smiled at him, and for a moment, everything felt almost normal.
