Page 93 of Role Play
I pretend to tip a hat at her.
“This way, Your Highness.” Sora offers a little curtsy, then leads us upstairs.
I follow, watching the easy way Sora interacts with my daughter. No awkwardness, no forced enthusiasm—just a natural warmth that has Dakota already reaching for her hand as they ascend the staircase.
The purple room is on the third floor, across from what will be my bedroom. The door is closed, but there’s a paper sign taped to it with “Princess Dakota’s Royal Chambers” written in elegant calligraphy. There are little stars and hearts drawn around the words, and a crown at the top of the sign.
“Did you make this?” I ask Sora.
She nods, suddenly looking shy. “I thought it might help her feel welcome.”
Something warm unfurls in my chest. I didn’t expect her to go to such lengths.
“Can I open it?” Dakota is practically dancing with anticipation.
“Go ahead,” Sora says.
Dakota turns the knob and pushes the door open, then freezes in the doorway, her mouth forming a perfect O of amazement.
The room is magical. The walls are a soft lavender, just as we’d painted them, but Sora has added so much more. Sheer white curtains frame the windows, twinkle lights woven through them. A canopy of gauzy purple fabric hangs over the new twin bed, which is covered in a fluffy comforter adorned with stars. There’s a small bookshelf already filled with children’s books, a toy chest with Dakota’s name painted on the lid, and a little table and chairs set up for tea parties.
“Is this…mine?” Dakota whispers, as if afraid speaking too loudly might make it all disappear.
“All yours,” Sora confirms. “Do you like it?”
Dakota turns, her face alight with joy, and launches herself at Sora, wrapping her arms around her legs. “It’s the most beautiful room in the whole wide world! Thank you, thank you,thank you.”
Sora looks momentarily startled by the display of affection, but then gently pats Dakota’s back. “You’re very welcome. I’m glad you like it.”
I set down the suitcase and box, unable to tear my eyes away from the scene. This room must have cost a fortune to set up, not to mention the time and thought that went into it. All for a little girl she barely knows.
“Sora, this is incredible,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
Her fingers play with the hem of her T-shirt, seeming embarrassed by my gratitude. “It was nothing, really. I had fun with it.”
“Daddy, look!” Dakota has already moved on to exploring, pulling open drawers and exclaiming over each new discovery. “There are fairy lights! And look, she got me princess books! And a tea set!”
I meet Sora’s gaze over Dakota’s head.Thank you, I mouth silently.
She just smiles, a hint of color rising in her cheeks.
“Can I stay here forever?” Dakota asks, flopping backward onto the bed, arms spread wide. “It’s way nicer than my room at Mommy’s.”
I wince at the comparison. “Different, not better,” I correct automatically. The last thing I need is Dakota going back to Hannah with tales of how much “nicer” things are at Dad’s place. “And we’ll be here for a while, but not forever.”
Sora’s smile falters slightly at my words, and I realize how they might have sounded—like I’m already planning our exit, already thinking of this as temporary.
Which it is, I remind myself. This arrangement is a stopgap, a solution to an immediate problem, not a forever kind of deal.
So why does the thought of goodbye already have me feeling so hollow?
Sora kneels beside the bed, looking at Dakota with earnest curiosity. “I’m surprised you like this room so much. Your mom and Henry have a beautiful home, don’t they?”
Dakota nods. “It’s pretty.” Her knobby little shoulders rise and then slump. “But everything is white. White walls, white couches, white rugs. Mommy says my toys have to match the house, so I have white stuffed animals and silver blocks.” She looks around the purple room with renewed fascination. “I don’t have colorful things like this there.”
Something sharp twists in my chest. I knew Hannah was particular about her home’s appearance, but I hadn’t realizedshe’d extended those restrictions to Dakota’s toys and personal space.
“That must be hard,” Sora says softly, not a hint of judgment in her voice, though I can see the concern in her eyes.
