Bryan raised his glass of water. "Then you all need to work hard for it and never give up." His eyes moved across each face, lingering on Martha and Hel. "Always know that we are here, cheering and pushing you all forward. No matter what."
More cheers erupted with their glasses lightly hitting each other as the moment seemed to stretch on.
Then everything froze.
The children mid-cheer, mouths open, and hands raised. Bryan's glass stopped halfway to the table while Melissa's smile locked in place.
Everyone but Reinhard and Martha.
Martha sighed before she turned to Reinhard, and her eyes shined with a wisdom and awareness she didn't have before. "So you really did come."
Reinhard's smile remained, but became something more complex. "This isn't a bad fantasy. It's actually pretty fun."
Martha laughed as she shook her head. "Don't you think you're a bit too old to be playing water fights with kids?"
