Lauren sat on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her, staring at the frosted window. Sophie was curled up beside her, asleep, her head resting on Lauren’s lap.
The warmth of the fireplace crackled softly in the background, filling the room with a comforting hum.
Larry walked in, balancing three mugs of hot chocolate in his hands. He set them down on the coffee table, carefully avoiding the pile of Christmas wrapping paper Sophie had enthusiastically discarded earlier.
“She’s out like a light,” Larry said, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch.
“She had a long day,” Lauren replied, running her fingers gently through Sophie’s hair.
“Probably because we let her eat way too many cookies,” Larry said with a grin.
Lauren smiled faintly but didn’t respond. Her mind was elsewhere, c
