The sun was up, bathing the streets in warm light, and the world buzzed with the usual morning chaos. Emily walked briskly, holding her daughter's hand as they made their way home from school. Her sharp features softened slightly as her little girl glanced up at her, clutching a well-loved teddy bear.
"Mama, why didn't you bring Mr. Liam?" her daughter asked, her tone almost accusatory.
Emily raised an eyebrow. "I'm not bringing Mr. Liam just because you can't sleep without him."
"But Mama, how can I sleep without him?" the little girl protested, her voice softening into a whine.
"You'll sleep just fine with me tonight," Emily said, her tone firm but not unkind.
They reached the house, and Emily pressed the doorbell. A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a familiar face—her ex-husband.
"Dadda!" Her daughter's face lit up, and she launched herself at him, wrapping her small arms tightly around his neck.
Emily stood at the doorstep, momentarily frozen. Her gaze flicked past him into the living room. The space was spotless, a stark contrast to the chaos she remembered.
"Well, look at that," Emily said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Your house actually looks clean. Did you hire a maid, or what?"
Her ex-husband smirked. "Why do you think I need a maid? Can't I clean my own place?"
Emily raised an eyebrow. "Really? You? The guy who thought socks magically walked to the laundry basket?"
Ignoring her jab, he walked to the fridge, pulled out an ice cream bar, and handed it to their daughter with a grin.
"Here you go, kiddo. Enjoy!"
Emily's eyes narrowed as her daughter eagerly unwrapped the ice cream. "You can't eat that now!" she snapped. "You know the rules, right?"
The little girl froze, mid-bite, and looked at her dad with wide, innocent eyes. "But Dadda said—" she paused, her tone turning playful, "NO RULES IN THIS HOUSE, ONLY FUN!"
Her father laughed, raising his fist in mock triumph. "That's right, sweetheart. No rules! Just fun!"
The two exchanged wide grins, and the little girl took a big, exaggerated bite of the ice cream, giggling as she did.
Emily clenched her jaw. "No rules, huh?" she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "And who's going to take her to the dentist when her teeth go bad? You?"
Her ex-husband shrugged nonchalantly. "It's just a milk tooth," he said with a grin. "Relax. That tooth will be gone soon, anyway. The tooth fairy's coming to take it away. No big deal."
He leaned down and kissed his daughter's forehead. "Now say bye to Mama, okay? She's got work to do."
Emily sighed, grabbing her bag and heading for the door. "Just don't come crying to me when the tooth fairy sends you the dentist bill," she muttered under her breath.
The office was a short walk away, but Emily felt the tension in her shoulders as she entered the bustling building. She barely had time to catch her breath before diving into emails and phone calls, the weight of her day already pressing on her.
Meanwhile, across town, the living room was quiet except for the occasional clink of tea cups. Alicia sat slouched on the couch, her phone in hand, while her mother, Emma, leaned forward eagerly as her friend Aanya shuffled a deck of tarot cards on the coffee table.
"You know, Alicia," Emma began, glancing at her daughter, "it's high time you got serious about settling down. You're not getting any younger."
Alicia sighed, barely looking up. "Mom, can we not do this right now?"
Emma ignored her and turned to Aanya. "Tell me, Aanya, why hasn't she found a decent boy yet?"
Aanya smiled, spreading the cards in front of her. "Let's see what the cards have to say," she replied, drawing one.
When she flipped it over, Emma's eyes widened. "The Devil card?!" she exclaimed, sitting upright. "What kind of life are you living, Alicia? No wonder you're still single!"
Alicia rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Mom? It's just a card."
"Relax, Emma," Aanya said calmly. "The card is reversed. It's actually a good sign. It means she's breaking free from negativity and heading toward better things."
Emma frowned. "Better things? What about marriage? When will she settle down?"
Aanya drew another card and studied it for a moment. "After the next lunar moon," she said confidently.
Emma's face lit up. "Really? That soon?"
Alicia shook her head, standing up from the couch. "This is ridiculous," she muttered. "Let me know when the moon gives you a better timeline."
"Alicia, don't dismiss this," Emma said, her voice firm. "I just want the best for you."
"Sure, Mom," Alicia replied, heading to her room. "Let me know when the stars and planets align for my happily-ever-after."
She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, exhaling sharply. "Lunar moon," she said to herself. "Yeah, right."