Rita glanced over her shoulder as you walked into the kitchen, a bright smile on her face. "Good morning, honey! You slept in a bit today. Feeling okay?"

"Morning," you replied, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Yeah, just needed a little extra sleep, I guess."

Rita dried her hands on a towel, her expression shifting to one of concern. "You sure? Last night… you were having nightmares again. Something about the Trinity Killer. You were tossing and turning a lot. I mean, I know how hard your job can be, but you’ve seemed really stressed lately."

You exhaled softly, trying to reassure her. "I guess that case really messed with me, but don't worry, it's already resolved."

Rita’s brow furrowed as she crossed her arms. "That's a relief....but I do worry though. I just want to make sure you are taking care of yourself too."

"I know, and I promise I am," you said, "Good," she said, her voice softening. "Because I’ve got a surprise for you." She stepped closer, her tone suddenly more playful. "Guess what? We’re going on a dinner date tonight. Just the two of us. No kids."

You raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "Really? How?"

"My mom’s coming over to babysit," Rita replied with a grin. "She’s been wanting to spend more time with the kids anyway, so it works out perfectly."

"Wow, that sounds great," you said, a smile forming on your lips.

Rita's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I knew you’d like that! We deserve a little break, don’t you think? Especially with everything going on lately."

Rita leaned in a bit, her tone still light but thoughtful. "You know, we’ve got a few hours before Cody and Astor come back from school. I’ve got some things I need to do around the house. Are you working today, or can I steal you for a little help?"

You smirked, meeting her gaze. "I think I can stick around and help you out."

"Perfect!" she said with a satisfied smile. "You’re not getting out of chores that easily."