"Roy, wake up! It's time to go on our first run of 2024. Let's not break our resolutions on the first day." Roy groaned, and pulled the covers over his head. "Agreed. Nora, let's change our resolutions instead. I'll sleep in every day for an extra ten minutes, and you'll have one extra dessert each week."

"Stop playing with your food, Emily. It's going to get cold." Emily locked eyes with the young man who sat across from her. "I'm not a child, Dean. And you're my husband, not..." Dean raised his hands. "Sorry, I just want to make sure you eat properly. You've not been eating enough since..."

Ted sighed, and shifted in the confines of his seat belt."Relax, Ted. Don't worry, they'll never find out!" Ted frowned. "But what if they do, Greg? They won't just ground us, they'll make us stay home this summer instead of going to Uncle Paul's. Is this race really worth losing out on a whole summer of freedom? Come on, let's just go play laser tag like we said we were going to."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Leo, I agreed to marry you!" "Polly, I hope you won't judge me because of an event that was entirely out of my control." Polly sat on the modern white sofa, and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. "Does it even matter if I judge you? Let's say I accept everything you've just told me. If what you say is true, you're a vampire! We can't get married."

Please note that engagement in the comments of this post will be rewarded in yet another way. This will be my first try at using @commentrewarder (a project by @hivetrending ) to help thank those of you who help turn this fun contest into a family :)

The two men double checked the intricate molding, crystal lamps, and plush pillows of the room for hidden security cameras. Then the smaller of the two removed a screwdriver from a hidden pocket in his dress trousers. He quickly unfastened the cover from the ventilation shaft, and they both entered with surprising speed and agility.