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I glance at her.

She's smiling despite herself.

"Should you?"

Her mouth twitches.

A laugh escapes before she can stop it.

Across the square, Lucy is now helping direct people toward their seats as if she's been elected mayor while none of us were paying attention.

Laurel watches her for a few seconds and shakes her head. "Okay," she admits. "Maybe I'm getting used to it again."

"Maybe?"

She nudges my shoulder.

I take that as confirmation.

The movie starts shortly after sunset.

A beam of light cuts across the square as the projector flickers to life, and a cheer rolls through the crowd. Across from the screen, Owen straightens from his equipment table and finally stops scanning the cables like they're planning a coup.

Families settle onto blankets as the opening credits begin. The younger kids make a few last attempts at racing through the rows before parents reel them in, and the square gradually eases into place.

Our group takes up an absurd amount of room.

Briggs claims it's strategic planning. "People make terrible decisions when they're cramped," he says, dragging another blanket into position.

"You've never made a good decision with plenty of space either," Torin replies without looking up from the sketchbook balanced on his knee.

Briggs presses a hand to his chest. "That was hurtful."

"Accurate though," Laurel says.

I hand Briggs another blanket anyway.

He accepts it with a nod. "See? Ashby understands the importance of proper infrastructure."

Lucy ends up tucked between Maggie and Briggs, happily occupied with popcorn and the stuffed reindeer she won earlier. Every few minutes she offers the reindeer a snack as if she's worried it feels left out.

Maggie catches another handful falling into its lap. "I think he's full."

Lucy looks horrified. "He's growing."

"Of course he is," Maggie says solemnly.

Beside Laurel, Torin continues sketching. Page after page.

Laurel notices it too. "What are you drawing?"

Torin closes the notebook so fast it practically snaps shut.

Laurel laughs. "Hand it over."

Torin twists away before he can grab it. "Absolutely not."

"Now I definitely need to see it."