LILY
Alice had been unsettled all afternoon.
Not fussy exactly—just off. Like something inside her couldn’t quite settle. She clung to my hand longer than usual, dragged her feet when I tried to guide her upstairs for her nap, kept glancing toward the hallway as if waiting for someone who hadn’t arrived yet.
“Hey,” I murmured, crouching in front of her. “What’s going on in that busy little head?”
She shrugged, lower lip wobbling.
My heart tightened. I brushed her hair back gently. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
Her arms wrapped around my neck instantly, small fingers gripping my sweater like she was afraid I might disappear if she let go.
Behind us, I could feel eyes.
I didn’t need to turn around to know who they belonged to.
Ella sat on the sofa, posture composed, hands folded neatly in
