I'll send a car at 6 p.m. The car that arrived was a black Lincoln Navigator with tinted windows. The driver loaded their bags with professional efficiency, his expression carefully neutral about transporting a maintenance worker and four-year-old to his employer's penthouse. Lily was fascinated by the car, chattering about leather seats and bottled water and television screens. Ethan watched his daughter's excitement and felt complicated mix of pride and anxiety. This kind of luxury was temporary gift that would make returning to normal life even harder when this ended.
Victoria's building occupied the top 15 floors of a tower overlooking Lake Michigan. The lobby was marble and glass and abstract art. The elevator required keycard access and played jazz music. Victoria's penthouse was the entire 41st floor. Floor to ceiling windows, open floor plan.
Kitchen with appliances Ethan didn't recognize. Furniture that looked uncomfortable and expensive. Victoria met them at the elevator wearing jeans and a sweater that probably cost what Ethan earned in a week. hair tied back, no makeup, looking younger and more approachable than the CEO he'd met at the gala. She knelt down immediately when she saw Lily. "Hi, you must be Lily.
I'm Victoria." Lily ducked behind Ethan's leg, suddenly shy. Ethan rested his hand on her shoulder. It's okay, Lilybug. Victoria is a friend who's letting us stay here for a little while.
Why can't we stay at our home? The question was reasonable. Ethan didn't have age appropriate answer. How did you explain to a 4-year-old that reporters were stalking you because daddy had agreed to pretend to be someone's husband? Victoria spoke before Ethan could formulate response.
Because our home has better toys. And also because I have a very big bathtub with jets that make bubbles. I thought maybe you'd like to try it. Lily's eyes went wide. "Bubbles."
"So many bubbles." Also, I have a room that I thought could be yours while you're staying here. Would you like to see it? Lily looked up at Ethan for permission. He nodded.
He watched his daughter take Victoria's hand with tentative trust that made his chest ache. They'd practiced stranger danger extensively. But somehow Victoria had bypassed Lily's caution, with simple kindness and promise of bubble baths. Victoria led them down the hallway to a room that had been transformed in the 48 hours since Ethan agreed to this arrangement. Walls painted soft purple, Lily's favorite color, which Victoria had somehow known.
A bed sized for children. Dresser with drawers labeled. Bookshelf filled with picture books. Toy chest currently empty but clearly expecting to be filled. I wasn't sure what toys you liked, Victoria said. genuine nervousness in her voice.
"So, I thought we could go shopping tomorrow, and you could pick, but for tonight, maybe we could read some books before bed, if that's okay with your dad." Lily was already pulling books from the shelf. Ethan stood in the doorway, overwhelmed by how much effort Victoria had invested in making his daughter comfortable in space that was temporary fiction. Victoria appeared beside him, voice low. too much. It's perfect, which somehow makes this whole situation more complicated.