CHAPTER TWENTY ONE – RECONNECTING IN NEW WAYS

As they enjoyed their meal, sharing bites of exquisitely prepared dishes and trading stories about their favorite parts of the trip (conveniently glossing over the more harrowing moments), Laura felt a sense of contentment she hadn't experienced in a long time. By the time they returned to their room, both were pleasantly full and more than a little tipsy from the wine. As they got ready for bed, Laura caught Mark's eye in the bathroom mirror. "Thank you for this," she said softly. "For not giving up on us, even when things got tough." Mark wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I'll never give up on us, Laura. We're in this together, remember?" As Laura drifted off to sleep that night, nestled in Mark's arms, she felt a sense of optimism she hadn't experienced in months. Tomorrow, they would start exploring Orlando properly, and she couldn't wait to see what adventures awaited them. The next morning, Laura woke to find Mark already up, tapping