Page 11 of Breaking
She turned to the stove, stirring the soup simmering in the pot. The familiar motions were soothing, though her mind raced with unspoken questions. She sprinkled chopped chive for garnish. Troy always used to tease how she always cooked by feel, no measurements involved. Max used to love helping her, running out to the herb garden to get her whatever she needed. Where was that little boy who loved hanging out with his mom gone? Was it selfish to want a connection with her children? To want them to care about the effort she put into their lives?
The front door creaked open, and Lilly's voice echoed down the hall.
"I'm home!"
Jenna's heart lifted slightly as she turned to greet her daughter. Lilly breezed into the kitchen, a Hermes scarf wrapped stylishly around her neck, her arms full of shopping bags.
"Hi, love," Jenna said, offering a tentative smile. "How was your day?"
"Busy," Lilly replied, setting the bags on the counter and pulling out a bottle of sparkling water. "I met up with Dad for lunch. We went to that new bistro near his office. It's amazing-you'd love it."
Jenna's smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. "That sounds nice."
Lilly didn't notice the strain in her mother's voice. She opened the bottle, took a sip, and continued. "Oh, and Lila was there. She's hilarious. Honestly, I don't know how Dad gets anything done with her around."
The words landed like a slap, but Jenna didn't let it show. She turned back to the stove, her hair falling forward to cover her eyes, her hands trembling slightly as she adjusted the heat.
"Lila seems to come up a lot lately," she said carefully, keeping her tone casual.
Lilly shrugged, oblivious. "She's just around a lot, I guess. Dad said she's his go-to for everything. And she's so good at what she does. Like, insanely good."
Jenna bit the inside of her cheek, the metallic taste of blood grounding her. "I see."
"Anyway," Lilly said, her voice bright. "Do we have anything sweet? I'm starving."
"There's a chocolate tart in the fridge," Jenna said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Perfect," Lilly chirped, opening the fridge with a flourish. She pulled out the tart, humming to herself as she grabbed a fork and dug in.
Jenna turned off the stove and stepped out of the kitchen, her chest too tight to breathe. She made her way to the small room she called her studio and shut the door behind her, leaning against it as her emotions threatened to spill over.
Her tablet sat on the desk, glowing softly in the dim light. She crossed the room, sinking into the chair and pulling up her current project. It was another illustration for a children's book-a cozy living room scene with a roaring fire and a stack of books by the hearth.
She picked up her stylus, her hands steadying as she worked. The lines and colours came together with a soothing precision, and for a moment, the world outside her studio faded away.
Across Town
Troy
Troy sat at the head of the long dining table, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled up. The remnants of takeout containers were scattered around, evidence of a late-night meeting that had turned into a casual dinner with his team.
Lila sat to his left, her laughter light and effortless as she recounted a story about a particularly chaotic client. The rest of the team hung on her every word, and Troy found himself smiling despite the faint unease that always accompanied her presence now. Since she madethose comments about Jenna, he had been trying to keep his distance. But it wasn't that easy after the last few years of working so closely together.
As the conversation lulled, Lila turned to him, her expression softening. "You should've brought Max tonight. He would've loved this."
"He's staying at the apartment this weekend," Troy said, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe next time."
Lila's smile widened, but there was something calculating in her eyes. "I'm glad you have that kind of relationship with him. It's important, you know? Especially when..." She hesitated, her tone dropping. "Well, when things aren't as... ideal at home."
Troy stiffened, his jaw tightening. "I'm not sure what you mean."
Lila tilted her head, her expression one of mock innocence. "Oh, nothing. Just... you've mentioned how challenging it can be, balancing everything. I don't know how you do it."
The words were perfectly measured, just vague enough to sound harmless but sharp enough to put Troy's sixth sense on alert. He wasn’t the best at reading social cues but something about what she said didn’t sit right.
Troy forced a smile, his unease growing. "We all have our challenges."
Lila nodded, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before she turned back to the group, her laughter filling the air once more.
