" Max. "
Max was just about to step through the entrance with the girls when he heard his name called from behind, the voice familiar enough to make him pause, and Jennifer loosened her grip on his arm slightly, her posture shifting as she turned with him.
Max looked back and saw Danica standing a short distance away under the street light, smiling brightly and waving at him with easy confidence, dressed elegantly but not overly formal, as if she had just finished her own evening plans.
" Danica. "
Max nodded once in recognition, acknowledging her presence without surprise, then gestured calmly for the girls to go inside first, giving them a small reassuring look so they wouldn't feel displaced, before he turned and walked toward Danica, his steps measured.
