CHAPTER 19 A TABLE OF LAUGHS

In the cozy, cramped kitchen of the Fisher family home, the aroma of fried fish lingered in the air. Max's father, a weather-worn man with calloused hands, flipped the last of the fish in the pan, his movements sure and practiced. Max's mother, her face lined with age but her eyes still shining with love for her family, bustled around the kitchen, setting plates and mugs on the table. Max and his siblings, Colin, Amy, Danny, and little Benji, chatted and laughed among themselves, their excitement for the day's adventure palpable. As Max took his seat at the table, the wood creaking and protesting beneath him, Jane and Oliver exchanged knowing glances. Though they'd only been together for a few hours, the ease with which they fell into each other's company was a testament to the depth of their bond. "Oi, Max," his father called, a toothless smile on his face, "yer thinkin' of takin' yer lady love out on a boat ride, eh?" Max blushed slightly, glancing at Jane. "Aye, Dad. Jane wants