That evening, after Dennis came home, we sat down for dinner as usual. The small table felt cozy, with the warm dishes in front of us. I tried to keep the atmosphere light, but my mind couldn't stop circling around Jackie and everything that had happened earlier in the day.
I watched Dennis as he happily ate, his face lighting up as he talked about school. I knew I needed to approach the topic of Jackie carefully.
"Dennis, how was school today? Anything new?" I asked, keeping my tone casual and warm.
Dennis nodded, chewing his food. "Yeah, it was fun, Mom. I played with my friends, and we had a good time."
I smiled, trying to find the right moment. "That's great. I heard you met Jackie at school. Do you like him?"
At the mention of Jackie, Dennis's eyes sparkled with excit
