The sun had already dipped behind the horizon, casting the living room in a soft, dim glow. Sophie had finally fallen asleep on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, her fever breaking but still flushed with the remnants of illness. Lauren sat next to her, her phone in hand but her mind somewhere far away.
"Hey," a voice called from the kitchen, breaking the quiet.
Lauren looked up to see Larry standing in the doorway, a beer in one hand and a smirk on his face. "You want one?" he asked, gesturing to the bottle in his hand.
Lauren shook her head. "Not tonight."
"Come on, live a little," Larry pushed, walking toward her with that confident swagger that always seemed to annoy her. "You're stuck babysitting, might as well enjoy a drink."
She raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Sophie, who was
