At Danny Hotels and Suite, Eli swung his legs under the table, his big brown eyes fixed on his mother as she scanned the notepad in her hands.
"Mama, who are we waiting for?" he asked, his voice brimming with curiosity.
Mira sighed, glancing at her watch for what felt like the hundredth time. Forty-five minutes late.
"A client," she replied, forcing patience into her tone.
"What's a client?"
"Someone Mama works with."
"Why do you work with them?"
"Because that's my job."
"Why do you have a job?"
Mira clenched her jaw, inhaling deeply before giving her son a tight-lipped smile. "Because we need money to live, baby."
Eli frowned. "But we already have a house. And food. And my teddy bear. Do we still need more money?"
"Yes, Eli. Because grown-ups have bills to pay."
Eli wrinkled h
