(Thomas)As the night had grown deeper, the club had begun to bustle with people and the music had grown steadily louder. We were now almost yelling at each other to be heard. Twenty minutes ago, the couple that Jack had invited had left and the table now only seated close friends: Jack, Grace, Lydia, and myself. My brother returned from ordering another round of drinks and slumped back into his chair.“So … uh … how’s Ruby doing?” he leaned in towards Lydia.I shook my head at him and thumped my palms on the table. “Seriously?” I chuckled, “As if you weren’t just sweet-talking that brunette by the bar!”.“What!” Jack shrugged his shoulders, “The more the merrier!”. He grinned and winked.“You fiendish devil!” Lydia tapped a finger at his arm. Her face glowed in amusement. “Why don’t you ask Ruby out yourself?” she sneered at Jack in mock seriousness. Grace looked up from her phone and nodded in agreement.“Oh, nice of you to finally chip in!” Jake poked at her annoyance with a laug
(Sarah)I was sitting cross-legged on the floor of my bedroom. I had spent the entire day yesterday ruminating over my altercation with Lydia and Jack. How dare Jack have asked me to leave! I was his future sister-in-law!I chewed a nail and thought further about it. Jack wasn’t important right now; I needed to figure out how to get back together with Thomas. My head felt hot from rage as I recounted how, over the past few days, my life had gone so off-track.I would be Thomas’s wife, whether he liked it or not!I unlocked my phone to dial but was distracted by the notification of Jack’s new Instagram story. My eyes widened in shock and my jaw dropped in horror when I opened it. Lydia had gone clubbing with Thomas last night! There she was sipping drinks in a sexy black dress and slutty gold jewelry! She was chuckling in delight at her victory of having stolen Thomas away from me.I let out a resounding scream of fury, shaking with fear and unable to contain my wrath any longer.I was
(Lydia)“Hello!” I chirped into the phone as soon as I saw the caller ID.“Good morning, Miss Lombardi,” a female voice replied, “This is Gemma from the administration desk at Warren Parker Preschool—““Ah, yes,” I smiled, “I was wondering when you’d phone to call in the twins for an interview.”Warren Parker was one of the most prestigious preparatory preschools in Greater Colorado. I had been glad I had moved to Denver when I had learned about their teaching methods and the way they gave each child such individual attention to bring out the best in them. I had submitted the twins’ application forms last week.There was an awkward pause on the other end of the line.“Hello?” I said.“Miss Lombardi, we’re afraid we can’t accept your children’s applications.”My heart began to thump wildly and my eyes darted towards the twins. Miles was putting back a train set he’d deconstructed with perfect accuracy and Mabel was creating a multicolored bridge, complete with two towers, from her Lego
(Lydia)I rubbed my sweaty palms together, curled them into fists, and brought the fists up to my nose. Thomas had said, “I’m coming over” and then immediately hung up. I didn’t understand why he had to drive all the way over to the theater when we could have easily discussed this on the phone. But by the time I had even opened my mouth to speak, he had probably already been in his car. I paced around the lobby of the theater building and then stopped by a water dispenser. I poured myself a glass and then sat down on one of the squishy leather sofas by the entrance.Slowly, I sipped my water. I was still feeling a little jittery when my phone chimed.“I’m here,” Thomas had texted.And then he bolted through the entrance. He looked dashing in his charcoal gray suit and the receptionist immediately stood up to greet him. I did too, but he gave me a quick wave and gestured to me to sit back down. After a short word with the receptionist, he came over to the leather sofas to join me. “Tw
(Lydia)I gazed at him, dumbfounded in baffled amazement and completely unsure of how to respond.After all this time that we had spent apart, he was once again approaching me. All my previous feelings of conflict about his intentions subsided as I wordlessly blinked at him.I could not believe that this was actually happening, nor could I recall the last time that he had asked me out for a date.***In the hazy sunlight of the afternoon, I had been scribbling away in response to an essay question about the Kurt Lewin change model. I had picked up the management course for fun but Jack and Thomas, being business-minded people, had been required to take it.Not that they ever studied for it … or even participated in class except to crack jokes.But I had thoroughly enjoyed the subject and the instructor, Ms. Hayworth, had reciprocated my feelings of enthusiasm by always appreciating me in class.Despite the fact that this course was not a requirement for me, I was well-prepared for my
(Lydia)My heels clicked down the pavement outside the theater and I glanced up at the evening sky. It was a beautiful shade of purple. I had paid the cab driver two minutes ago after he had dropped me here.It was ridiculous, I thought, to get picked up for dinner outside my workplace. But Thomas had insisted. I had wondered about whether he was hiding from my sister or his children, all of whom were at the hotel.But Ruby already knew that I was going out with Thomas. She hadn’t exactly approved of it, but hadn’t reprimanded me either.I was wearing my navy long dress and a pair of silver heels. And, yes, I was a little nervous.Thomas pulled up two minutes later. He got out of the car and said, “I’m so sorry I’m late”. I shook my head, smiling slightly. Apparently, we’d color-coordinated.He returned my smile and my heart leapt a little. “You look so beautiful tonight,” he said.I blushed. “What was the point of picking me up here?” I asked.“Enh,” Thomas shrugged.I walked over to
(Lydia)I had passed the threshold into the store’s bright golden lights, taking in the rows upon rows of children’s paraphernalia. Ahead of me stood a large display of nursery wallpaper in shades of baby blue, pastel pink, sunlight yellow, and lilac. They were adorned with stars and moons and hot air balloons and silver rocking chairs and unicorns.I had wandered slowly through aisles, delighting in the shelves upon shelves of children’s feeding paraphernalia and the appropriate foods for up to 18-month-old babies.I passed through the clothing section, admiring the softness of cotton rompers and looking at multi-colored mittens and socks. My heart swelled up with charm at the idea of dressing up my own child in these someday.I had finally made it to the toys’ section and smiled wide in complete enchantment. Footsteps had approached behind me and a familiar pair of arms wrapped around my waist. “Like it?” Thomas had nuzzled into my neck.“I wouldn’t want to shop for our baby anywher
(Lydia)And, now, here we were in a car again together, driving to the hospital for our baby daughter. Thomas had immediately dashed outside and asked the valet to bring the car around.Tears welled up in my eyes as we sped across the road on the way to the hospital. My shoulders shook as I broke down. Thomas glanced quickly towards me, opened his mouth to say something, but then shifted his eyes back towards the road. He pressed down on the accelerator, blew up the horn, and began swerving the steering wheel left and right as he wreaked havoc and overtook cars.I looked back at the road. The street and car lights were blurry golden through my tear-soaked eyes.“It’s going to be okay,” Thomas whispered to me. I did not have it in me to respond at all.***When we arrived, Mabel was sitting on the bed. She was being looked at by the doctor. “Oh, my baby!” I cried as I ran up to her and swooped up her small, delicate body in my arms. “I’m okay, mommy,” my daughter replied. Her angelic f
(Lydia)I stretched my arms, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. The sun was peeking through the horizon and today was the day where I would be taking a stand in front of all the parents. I shoved thoughts of Clara and her cryptic messages aside. That mystery could wait. My focus now was on standing up for myself and my children against the parents who had dared to insult us in such a vile way.Mabel and Miles were already awake, their chatter filling the house as they got dressed for school. It was good to see them so excited about returning to class. Their enthusiasm fueled my resolve. I joined them in the kitchen, ensuring their breakfast was hearty enough to carry them through their day.Thomas came down just as the kids were finishing up. He looked slightly more rested than he had the previous evening, though his demeanor was still a little distant. As he grabbed his coffee, I walked over to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Good luck at work,” I murmured, my hand brush
(Lydia)The clock on the wall ticked steadily, its sound the only companion to my restless pacing in the living room. I glanced at the door for what felt like the hundredth time, waiting for Thomas to come home. My meeting with the principal had gone better than expected, or at least, I had managed to secure a proper confrontation with the other parents. But the weight of it, the anger I’d felt earlier, was still coiled tightly inside me, waiting to be shared. Finally, the sound of keys jingling at the door broke my train of thought. Thomas stepped in, his tie loosened, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His shoulders sagged, and there was a faint crease between his brows, the kind that appeared only when he was genuinely stressed. "Hey," I greeted softly, walking over to him, “Rough day?”He nodded, offering me a tired smile as he leaned down to kiss my cheek, “Just one of those days. Work’s a mess right now.”I wanted to press him for more, but the lines on his face told
(Thomas)Standing by the massive floor-to-ceiling window in my office, I watched the city skyline, its usual vibrancy dulled by the fog in my mind. The weight of what I was about to do settled heavily on my chest, but I couldn’t back down now. Nathan’s trial loomed on the horizon, and his request to meet one last time echoed in my thoughts. There was no way to shake the feeling that this meeting might hold the key to something vital, even if it came at a personal cost.I picked up my phone and scrolled to Aiden’s number. He answered on the second ring, his voice as sharp and precise as ever.“Thomas,” he said, “I assume this is about Nathan.”“It is,” I replied, my tone flat but resolute, “I’ve decided to meet him.”There was a pause on the line, long enough to make me think he might object outright. Finally, Aiden sighed, “You’re sure about this? You understand what you’re walking into.”“I’m sure,” I said, “But I want to make something absolutely clear. This meeting stays between u
(Lydia)Walking into the principal’s office, my hands felt unusually steady. The incident from a week ago rang in my mind, those mothers standing in front of the school, blocking my way, their condescending smirks and venomous words spilling out like poison in front of my children. I had been humiliated, sure, but more than that, I was enraged. Not because they had said those things to me, but because Mabel and Miles had heard every single word. It wasn’t just me they had attacked, it was my family, my children. And no one, not even a clique of overzealous parents with too much time on their hands, was going to make my children feel unworthy or unsafe.The principal’s office was predictably neat and orderly, the faint smell of coffee lingering in the air. She was a woman in her late fifties with kind but firm eyes and she greeted me with a professional smile when I entered.“Ms. Lydia, please have a seat,” she said, gesturing toward the chair opposite her desk.I sat, straight-backed
(Lydia)I kissed the top of their heads as I set plates of waffles and scrambled eggs in front of Mabel and Miles. They were buzzing with excitement, barely able to sit still as they talked about going back to school. Their little voices overlapped, Mabel describing how she couldn’t wait to show her friends the new glitter markers we’d bought last week, while Miles was eager to tell his classmates about all the drawings he had done.Their energy was infectious, and I couldn’t help but smile. This was the right decision. After taking a week off to help Mama recover and regroup as a family, it was time for the kids to get back to their routine. Their happiness depended on it, and truthfully, so did mine.Thomas had left for the office earlier, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead before disappearing out the door. His support meant everything. Knowing he trusted me to handle the school situation gave me the confidence to move forward with my plan. Today, I was determined to meet the pri
(Thomas)When I woke up, the first thing I felt was the weight in my chest. Not the kind of weight that comes from a poor night’s sleep or a bad mattress—this was heavier, like a stone pressing down on my ribs. Guilt. I hadn’t done anything, not yet at least, but the feeling was there, gnawing at me. I stared at the ceiling, listening to Lydia’s even breathing beside me. Her face was peaceful, the lines of worry from the last few weeks smoothed out in the soft light of morning. She deserved that peace. We’d talked last night, sitting on the couch like we always did when something big was on the table. Trusting each other, making decisions together, being a team—that’s what we promised. And yet, here I was, already going against that promise, or at least preparing to.Nathan.His name sat bitterly in my mind, as unwelcome as ever. The idea of meeting him, of willingly putting myself in the same room as the man who had caused so much pain, felt wrong on every level. But the truth wa
(Lydia)The sound of Thomas’s car pulling into the driveway was like a signal for the day to shift gears. I had spent the afternoon going over the details of Mama’s care and ensuring Mabel and Miles had everything they needed, but the conversation with the kids that morning still weighed on me. Their innocent expressions as they talked about missing school tugged at my heart, leaving me unsettled.I had wondered if I should talk to Ruby about it but then I thought better of it. Ruby was already under a lot of pressure with the boutique and Mama, I didn’t want to put more pressure on her by telling her about what the kids said. I had decided to wait for Thomas to arrive before letting out all of my worries.When Thomas walked through the door, his shoulders slightly slumped from what I imagined had been a long day, I gave him a small smile. He smiled back, weary but warm, and leaned down to kiss me on the forehead.“Hey,” he said, his voice low, “How’s everything here?”“Busy,” I repli
(Ruby)As soon as I got to the mansion, Lydia and Mama had just arrived from the hospital. Immediately, Lydia and I worked together to settle Mama into her room at the mansion. The space was warm and welcoming and it was Mama who had made it that way. I remember when we had shifted to the mansion. The room was filled with all kinds of furniture but something had still felt empty and cold here.I had realized later on that it felt cold and empty because no one had probably ever lived there. But Mama somehow, had changed the energy of the room in just a couple of months. Now, she sat propped up against the pillows, her frail hands resting in her lap. Though her energy was still low, her serene expression gave me hope.Lydia tucked the blanket around Mama’s legs, her movements tender and deliberate. “There,” she said, her voice soothing, “Everything you need is right here. Call for us if you need anything, okay?”Mama smiled faintly, her eyes shimmering with gratitude. “You girls spoil
(Jack)The meeting had been a disaster from the start. Sitting across from the businessman in the dimly lit, exclusive restaurant, I’d tried to keep my expression neutral as he pitched his idea with a level of enthusiasm that bordered on desperation. Expanding the company into the world of surveillance electronics? It was risky, to say the least, not to mention completely out of line with the company’s longstanding focus. He’d gone on and on about cutting-edge devices: smart home systems, discreet personal trackers, and security cameras so advanced they could identify a face in a crowd of thousands. While the market was growing and potentially lucrative, the ethical and legal pitfalls alone made my head spin. Thomas would need to hear about this, though I already had a strong sense of what his answer would be. “Let me be clear,” I finally said, setting my glass down with deliberate calm, “This company has been around for years because we’ve built a reputation on reliability and