The ride to Freya’s Diner was steeped in silence, weighted with words unsaid and glances exchanged. Linus kept his gaze fixed on the road, but his mind raced. Every now and then, he’d steal a glance at Willow in the rearview mirror. Her copper curls, now neatly brushed, framed her face, which bore a quiet intensity. Next to her sat Brielle, her eyes flickering with a blend of amusement and curiosity as she observed the two of them.
Arriving at the diner, Linus parked the car and took a deep breath. The warm glow of the diner’s lights spilled out into the street, inviting them in with a comforting sense of normalcy that felt at odds with the day’s events. The sign above the door read “Freya’s Diner” in bold, friendly letters, and the interior bustled with life. The clatter of plates and th
