Chapter 11: A Room of Their Own**
The guest room had served its purpose as a temporary shelter, but Peter knew it was time for a permanent change. It still looked like a room meant for adults, with beige walls and sterile furniture.
On a rainy Saturday, Peter took the kids to the local hardware store and parked the cart in front of the paint swatches.
"Alright," Peter announced. "That room is yours now. Which means you get to pick the colors. Whatever you want."
Drew’s eyes widened. "Really? Anything?"
"Anything," Peter confirmed.
It took an hour of intense deliberation. Drew finally settled on a deep, vibrant 'Ocean Blue,' while Lily picked a bright 'Sunshine Yellow.'
They spent the entire weekend transforming the room. Peter laid down drop cloths and gave each kid a small roller. They got more paint on themselves and the hardwood floor than they did on the walls, but the house echoed with something it hadn't heard in a long time: genuine, uncontrollable laughter.
By Sunday evening, the room was a chaotic but cheerful split of blue and yellow. They had picked out new bedsheets—superheroes for Drew, and dinosaurs for Lily.
As Peter tucked them into their new beds that night, Drew looked around the bright room. "It looks like our room now," he whispered.
May you like
"It is your room, buddy," Peter said, turning on the nightlight. "Forever."
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