The late afternoon had been peaceful, a rare calm before what everyone knew was coming. The sky had begun to darken, heavy clouds rolling in from the horizon, threatening rain. Roman's family had been scheduled to visit, and despite the stormy forecast, they were determined to make it work. The sound of their laughter echoed through the house as they all filed in, bringing an unexpected energy into the quiet.

Roman's brother, Jimmy, entered first, his booming voice carrying into the hallway. "Hey, big man! You still awake in there?" He grinned widely as he hugged Roman, clapping him on the back. "Glad you could make it out to see us."

Roman chuckled, meeting his brother's embrace. "You know I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Jimmy's wife, Naomi, came in next, a warm smile on her face. She immediately greeted Isabella with a hug, then knelt down to give both Joelle and Malachi a hug. "How are you two doing?" she asked, her tone full of affection.

"We're good," Joelle answered, her voice still a little tight but warmer than it had been that morning.

"I'm excited to play with Malachi," Naomi added, ruffling his hair. "You're growing up too fast."

Solo and his wife, Ayesha, followed soon after, bringing along their son, Jaxon, who was only a year old but already had a curious nature that made everyone smile. Then came Roman's cousin, Leilani, and her husband, Marcus, with their two kids. The house quickly filled with the sounds of family catching up, laughter, and the scurrying of little feet.

But despite the bustling atmosphere, Roman couldn't shake the tension still lingering between him and Joelle. His daughter's small, cautious glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking didn't go unnoticed, but he had learned to give her space. He was trying. Slowly, but surely.

As everyone gathered in the living room, a loud rumble of thunder shook the walls, followed by a flash of lightning that lit up the entire sky. Malachi let out an excited gasp, his face lighting up at the spectacle.

"Storm's coming in strong," Jimmy commented, glancing out the window as the first raindrops started to tap against the glass.

Naomi looked out toward the sky and furrowed her brows. "This one might be bad. We should probably keep the kids inside, just in case."

Roman nodded, grateful for the distraction. "Yeah, no need for anyone to get caught out there in that."

The storm grew steadily stronger, and the wind began to howl as it pushed against the house. The rain started to pour, the sound of it hitting the roof almost deafening. It wasn't long before the lights flickered, then went out completely, plunging the house into darkness.

"Great, just what we need," Solo grumbled, trying to find his way to the kitchen. "Do we have any flashlights?"

Roman was already pulling his phone from his pocket, using the flashlight feature. "I've got it covered," he said, waving it around to get his bearings.

Joelle let out a soft sigh, her shoulders tense. She'd been trying to enjoy the evening, but the storm had only made everything feel more intense-her feelings, the weight of the conversation with her father, the distance between them that hadn't quite been bridged. She didn't want to seem rude, but the discomfort was starting to feel unbearable.

Isabella must have sensed the shift in the air because she turned to Joelle and nudged her gently. "Why don't you and Malachi stay close to me for a bit?" she suggested, offering her daughter a warm smile. "It's cozy here, and it's better than sitting in the dark by yourself."

Joelle hesitated but finally nodded. "Yeah, okay," she said softly, letting her mom pull her close. Malachi, ever the adventurous spirit, ran to his mother and jumped into her lap.

The lights flickered a few more times before the house finally settled into complete darkness. The storm raged on outside, its fury only intensifying as it swept across the area. The occasional crack of thunder made the walls tremble, and the wind seemed to howl louder with every passing minute.

Roman, his phone light cutting through the shadows, glanced around the room at his family. They were all huddled together, trying to make the best of the situation. Even in the dark, he felt the warmth of them, the quiet reassurance that they were still here, still with him.

"Looks like we're in for a long night," Jimmy said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Anybody up for some board games?"

Leilani, always the life of the party, laughed. "Board games? I say we tell scary stories! Who's got the spookiest one?"

Malachi's eyes lit up at the idea. "I wanna hear one!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands.

Joelle smiled a little, her earlier tension seeming to fade as the mood lightened. Even though she still wasn't ready to fully open up, the sight of the family together-playing, laughing, and just being present-made her feel a little less alone. A small part of her wondered if, maybe, things could start to feel normal again.

As the storm outside raged on, the warmth and laughter inside the house wrapped them all in a blanket of safety. Roman stayed close to Joelle, hoping with every passing second that she might turn to him, just a little bit more. He couldn't rush it; he had to be patient.

And as the wind howled outside, Roman held onto the quiet hope that maybe, just maybe, the storm inside their hearts would pass, too.