A Peaceful Evening Ahead

As they walked into their cozy little house, Ashley couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. She had been hoping that the evening would be calm and peaceful, and so far, it seemed to be shaping up that way. Alex was chattering excitedly about his day, and Ashley was happy to listen, enjoying the sound of his voice. As they entered the living room, Ashley gestured for Alex to take a seat on the couch. "Hey, buddy, why don't you sit down and relax for a bit?" she said, trying to sound soothing. Alex nodded, climbing up onto the couch and plopping down with a happy sigh. Ashley sat down beside him, reaching into the coffee table drawer to grab a handful of crayons and a piece of paper. "Hey, Alex, I got you some colors," she said, handing them over to him. "Why don't you do some drawing while I get dinner started?" Alex's eyes lit up as he took the crayons and paper, and Ashley held her breath, hoping that this would be enough to keep him occupied and prevent a tantrum. She knew that sometimes, all it took was a little distraction to keep him calm, and she was willing to try anything to make the evening peaceful. As Alex began to color, Ashley got up and headed into the kitchen to start making dinner. She had decided on pizza, and she was just putting the order in when she heard a faint humming noise coming from the living room. She smiled to herself, thinking that it was a good sign that Alex was so engrossed in his coloring. As she waited for the pizza to arrive, Ashley busied herself by setting the table and pouring glasses of water. She could hear Alex chatting to himself in the other room, and she peeked in to see him intently coloring a picture of a bright blue sky with yellow sun. "Looks like you're having fun, buddy," she said, smiling. Alex looked up, his face smeared with crayon. "I'm making a picture of the sun," he said, holding it up for her to see. Ashley oohed and aahed over the picture, making a mental note to ask him to make her a copy to give to his dad. As she took the picture from him, she noticed that his hands were covered in crayon, and she made a mental note to wash them before dinner. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Ashley got up to answer it. It was the pizza delivery guy, holding out a steaming hot pie. Ashley's stomach growled with anticipation as she took the pizza and handed over the payment. As she brought the pizza into the living room, Alex's eyes widened with excitement. "Yay, pizza!" he exclaimed, jumping up from the couch. Ashley smiled, hoping that this would be a peaceful and enjoyable dinner for everyone. She handed Alex a plate and they sat down to eat, enjoying the warm, cheesy goodness of the pizza.