As soon as she was in the house, Kirsten tiredly set her briefcase on an end table. She took off her high heels and massaged her swollen feet. Kirsten went upstairs to change into something casual. She half-limped back downstairs, intending to soak her feet in the hot tub for a while. Kirsten was tired and almost didn't hear someone calling out to her.
"Hi, Mom," Ryan greeted casually, as if he'd always called her that.
Kirsten turned around. She blinked, surprised by both what Ryan had called her and the scene in front of her. Ryan was sitting by himself at the kitchen island with an open package of Chips Ahoy next to one arm and a plate of saltines smeared with what looked like cream cheese. Kirsten smiled to herself. She'd never seen anyone besides Seth or Sandy put cream cheese on crackers. Ryan looked relaxed and content, something Kirsten wasn't used to seeing.
"Hey, honey," she said, ruffling his hair and kissing his cheek. "How was your day?"
Ryan smiled. "It was good, Mom. I finished my homework and then I just felt like having a snack."
Kirsten nodded. She was glad to see Ryan making himself at home. She remembered how shy and guarded he was when he first came to live with them; he barely ate anything and always asked for permission before he did.
"I know you've been working hard at school. You deserve a treat," she said. "Do you know what you want for dinner?"
Ryan shook his head. "No, I'm not really hungry. I ate a lot of these." He gestured at the saltines and cookies.
"I can see that," Kirsten chuckled. "Well, let me know if you change your mind. I think there's some of Rosa's enchiladas in the fridge, too."
"Okay, Mom, thanks."