“Hun?” Juniper’s brow arched, the single word a question hanging in the air between them. Her tone was a mixture of surprise and amusement, as if she were caught between the urge to laugh and the instinct to remain professional. The corners of her mouth twitched, a smile threatening to break through her carefully maintained composure.

Caught on his back foot, Daniel’s forehead creased as he realized the implications of his words, a sheepish grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Juniper I mean… sorry. Sorry about that,” he apologized, his voice still slightly groggy from the yawn, but now tinged with a hint of embarrassment as he issued her a smirking side eye glance.

Juniper, however, seemed unfazed by the slip-up. She brushed off the moment, her mind already racing ahead to more pressing matters. “This interview today is going to be big for us,” she said, her tone business like and focused. “Given that this is a childhood charter program, a potential jury may show bias in favor of this example.”

“I agree,” Daniel said, his posture enhancing again. “It’s crucial that we capture their humanity when we speak to them, in case it’s a hard jury to convince.”

Juniper nodded, her confidence evident in the set of her shoulders.