Page 92 of A Sinful Gravity

He stood there still holding the brush, looking a little nervous.

"Chloe helped arrange it," he said. "She said Laila made two friends in dance class recently. I thought... we could have them over. She'd be happy."

Laila nodded vigorously beside him. "Happy! Super happy!"

I looked at her, at that bright sparkle in her eyes.

That sparkle. I rarely saw it on her face.

In London, she'd always been with me. Rehearsal halls, backstage, the apartment. Three points on a loop. She had toys, picture books. But she didn't have friends. Not the kind you could invite home to play.

We were always on the road. From one city to another. But she never complained. Sometimes I wondered—did she feel lonely?

Now she had it. A home where she could invite friends. Someone willing to prepare snacks and toys for her.

I looked at that pile of snacks, those brand-new toys, and Cassian's carefully tentative expression.

Something trembled lightly inside me.

We ate together and set up the living room. By two in the afternoon, the doorbell rang.

Laila jumped off the couch yelling "Coming!" and charged toward the door. I hurried after her, afraid she'd fall.

The door opened to reveal two little girls—one with pigtails, one with straight bangs, both about Laila's age. Their mothers stood behind them.

"You're here!" Laila greeted the adults, then grabbed the girls' hands and pulled them inside. "Come in! I'll show you my toys!"

The two girls got dragged in, a bit shy but quickly looking around curiously. Their mothers followed, standing somewhat awkwardly at the door.

"Good afternoon, please come in." I waved them inside. "Just come right in, welcome."

Cassian emerged from the kitchen carrying freshly poured juice. Seeing the guests, he nodded. "Good afternoon."

The two mothers lit up when they saw Cassian. One leaned over and whispered to me. "Is that your husband?"

I paused, but smiled and nodded.

Cassian set the juice on the coffee table, brought out snacks, and cut fruit. Then he sat a little distance away, quietly telling me to call if I needed anything.

Laila had already dragged her two friends upstairs to her princess room. Soon, laughter from three little girls drifted down, chattering like a flock of birds.

I sat in the living room chatting with the two mothers. They talked about dance class and praised Laila's sweetness. I smiled and nodded, occasionally adding a word.

After a while, Laila wanted to take her friends to the yard. Cassian got up and followed.

"Your husband is wonderful," one mother said after Cassian left, her eyes full of envy. "My husband can't even remember what foods our kid likes, but yours... the way he looks at Laila, he'd spoil her rotten. And he's willing to cook and serve himself—it's like a fairy tale."

I smiled without answering.

She asked again. "How long have you been married?"

I hesitated. "A while."

"With a child this old and still so happy together, that's rare."

I nodded and changed the subject.

The two girls played until almost five before leaving. Laila stood at the door, reluctantly waving goodbye, then turned back to me.