Chapter 30: Family Life

Riley giggles and dances around the room, throwing tassels up in the air.

Maryanne smiles as she watches the young girl. She is untangling some string lights as Max is resituating the evergreen in their large living room, making sure it isn't tilting. He is wearing a tight t-shirt that hugs his muscles, his body rippling with the effort of his task. He grunts as he almost loses his grip on the tree.

Maryanne presses her lips together briefly to hold back a laugh. Frustration builds in her chest as the lights only become more tangled. She sighs and drops her hands, "Remember, you agreed, we're on a budget." She rubs her arm that has only just recently healed from Caroline's attack. She has faint pink scars zipping across her flesh. They are only noticeable when the light catches them at the right moment.

"Yes, yes, I know," Max sighs, standing back. He cocks his head to the side to eye his work. Satisfied, he pivots toward Maryanne and grabs the lights from her grasp, untangling them