Yet when Emily came back balancing the tray, she immediately noticed the way Vanessa’s fingers were clamped around Lily’s small shoulder—far too tight to be affectionate.
Lily’s body had gone rigid. She was staring fixedly toward the window, as though the glass might offer an escape route.
“The coffee,” Emily said quietly, setting the tray down with deliberate care.
“Thanks, Emily,” Michael replied absently, not even lifting his gaze. “Oh—and I have to fly to Chicago next week. I’ll be gone about ten days.”
From the corner of her eye, Emily caught the sudden gleam in Vanessa’s expression. It wasn’t disappointment that lit her face. It was something sharper.
“So soon?” Vanessa asked softly. “Lily and I are only just beginning to get acquainted.”
“It can’t be helped, darling,” Michael answered. “You’ll have plenty of time to bond. Emily will make sure everything runs smoothly.”
“Of course,” Vanessa murmured.
But the look she gave Emily held no warmth at all.
That evening, after Vanessa had left and Michael remained shut inside his study working late, Emily helped Lily with her bath and changed her into her pajamas—always the most peaceful part of the day.
As she gently brushed out the child’s silky hair, she asked, “Do you like Vanessa?”
Lily gave a small shrug.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “She smells strange… bad.”
“Bad how?”
“Like when Daddy forgets the flowers in the vase and they stay too long.”
Emily’s expression darkened. Children sensed things adults often overlooked.
“And how do you feel about her moving in here?” Emily asked carefully.
Lily turned suddenly, eyes wide and shimmering with fear. “Are you going to leave?”
The question struck deep.
“No, sweetheart,” Emily said at once. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Lily wrapped her arms tightly around her neck. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
Still, later, as Emily tucked the blankets snugly around her and switched off the light, an uneasiness settled heavily in her chest. She couldn’t shake the certainty that something was approaching—something dark—and that perhaps a four-year-old girl might be the only one brave enough to recognize it for what it truly was.