I felt a warm glow in my chest at the thought. Those story times had been a bright spot during some of our darkest days. "I'd love to," I said. "Maybe we could set something up for this weekend?"
Mariam beamed. "That would be awesome! I'll let them know."
As we finished eating, I glanced at the clock and realized it was almost time for the meeting. "I should get going," I said, standing up. "Wish me luck?"
Jason stood too, giving me a quick kiss. "You don't need luck. You've got this."
Mariam gave me a thumbs up. "Go kick some diplomatic butt!"
Their support buoyed me as I made my way to the meeting room. I took a deep breath before pushing open the door, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
The room was already full when I entered. Drea sat at the head of the table, with Ms.
