Chapter 18 Bonding Time

Kyra Suarez POV

Kyra gave the pot a gentle shake, listening to the last few pops, before pouring the white, fluffy kernels into a large bowl. As she added salt and a drizzle of melted butter, she listened fondly to the sounds coming from the living room. Omer was telling Ali Ahmed about the movie they were about to watch: an animated film about fish that he'd seen about a hundred times. Ali Ahmed was patiently listening, even asking follow-up questions. It was the sound of family, a sound that Kyra loved.

Grabbing the bowl, she headed back into the living room and settled on the couch. Omer had already claimed his spot in the middle, so Kyra found a place on the left side, making eye contact and sharing a smile with Ali Ahmed over Omer's head. As always, meeting Ali Ahmed's gaze made Kyra feel almost shivery.

"Are we ready?" Omer asked, wiggling with excitement. "This movie is so good."

"Let's do it." Kyra grabbed the remote and pressed play. Right away, the opening notes of the movie