âRaegan, let go of the guilt from his past favor.
Do you recall the times when you were childrenâ¦â
Suddenly, a series of beeps interrupted them.
Erick turned the ignition, and the car hummed to life as they began to move forward.
Erick noticed Raeganâs spirits hadnât lifted, so he took a different tack.
âIâve got some news about our mother,â he said.
Hope sparked in Raeganâs eyes.
âReally?â
He nodded.
âA while back, a part-time housekeeper claimed she saw our mom at a house.
Iâd been to the address but found nothing.
The previous residents had moved, and their current whereabouts were unknown.
â
It was a clue, albeit a small one, after years of uncertainty about Caseyâs fate.
The housekeeper had offhandedly referred to Casey as a âsleeping beauty,â a detail Erick chose to keep to himself, wishing not to weigh Raegan down with more worries.
âs BunnyBookery âThatâs incredible,â Raegan managed to say, her tear-stained face brightening slightly with the news.
Her belief that their mother was out there, somewhere, remained unshaken.
Erick soothed Raegan by running his fingers through her hair.
âIâll find her.
Donât fret.
â
They arrived home after a half-hour journey.
Completely spent, Raegan slipped into the solace of a steaming bath and then surrendered to a deep, restorative slumber.
A fresh start awaited with the morning light, and Raegan braced herself to greet it with fresh energy.
With Jarrod now confined within the prisonâs walls, Nicole stepped up to lead, taking control of the companyâs helm.
The energy initiative, once stagnant under Wessonâs watch, now pulsed with new life, transformed yet invigorated.
Clearing Wessonâs name would be a Herculean task unless Jarrod owned up to his actions.
Even if the stain were expunged, it would be an uphill climb to restore the Lawrence Group to its former glory.
Nicole had let go of such dreams, recognizing Wessonâs true aim to drive the energy industry toward the common good.
By making strides in the energy field, she would, in essence, be honoring her fatherâs vision.
That evening, as Nicole left the office Late, she was greeted by Roscoeâs presence.
Roscoe was a vision in his khaki coat, capturing the attention of passersby at the entrance of the building.
Nicole recalled the time at the hospital when Roscoe, amid his residency, had caught the fancy of numerous nurses.
Yet, he had always kept his distance, unknowingly breaking hearts along the way.
The sunset threw a soft glow over Roscoe, bathing him in a light that softened the edges of the day.
Watching Roscoe, Nicoleâs mind danced with thoughts that were almost lyrical in their nature.
âHe moves with a grace and finesse that echo a masterpiece, each gesture as if refined by the hands of an artist,â she mused.
Approaching with a bright smile, Nicole asked, âWhat brings you here?â
Roscoe responded with a warm smile, âIâve come to take you out for dinner.
â
âDinner?â Nicole paused, not one to keep track of festive dates.
Suddenly, she realized the younger colleagues had hinted at special plans for the evening.
âIs there some occasion?â