Xavier

Sitting comfortably in Lumber's living room, he smiled warmly and asked us, "Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, water, or perhaps something stronger?"

"I'll just have water, thank you," I replied.

Alice smiled beside me. "I'll take coffee, please."

Lumber nodded and left the room, returning a few minutes later with a steaming cup of coffee and a glass of water. We both said "thank you" in unison as he handed us our drinks.

After taking a few sips, we turned our attention to Lumber, who sat opposite us.

He leaned forward, his eyes curious. "What do I owe this surprise visit?"

I sighed deeply, feeling a...