As Jay and Leo returned ho, the evening light softly filtered through the windows, casting extended shadows across the floor. Jace was still at the office, engrossed in the demanding tasks of paperwork, background checks, and the ceaseless grind of investigations.
Bella was waiting in the living room.
She was curled up on the couch, her legs tucked under her, her phone in her hands. She looked up when they walked in, her brown eyes bright.
"Jay! Leo!" She set her phone down and bounced to her feet.
Jay flopped onto the couch, groaning dramatically. "I’m exhausted. Don’t make think. Don’t make talk. Just feed ."
Bella laughed. "There’s food in the kitchen."
Jay clutched his chest. "I love you, Bella Bell!"
Bella waved a hand. "I know."
Leo sat down beside Jay, loosening his tie. He looked tired too. Shadows under his eyes. His shoulders tense. His bandaged arm held carefully at his side. But his gray eyes were soft when he looked at Bella.
She sat on the coffee table across from them, her hands clasped in her lap.
Bella said, "I have sothing to tell you."
Jay sat up straight. "You’re not pregnant, are you?"
Bella’s eyes went wide. "What? No!"
Jay relaxed. "Okay, good. I’m not ready to be an uncle. Continue."
Leo shot him a look. Jay shut up.
Bella took a breath. "I want to take part in the annual day dance performance."
The room went silent.
Leo looked surprised. His eyebrows rose slightly. Bella had never shown much interest in dancing or singing or any of those performance skills. The only tis she danced were during occasions with him, and mostly the dances were led by Leo. She followed. She swayed. She let him guide her.
This was different.
Leo fell silent.
Bella’s heart pounded. She looked at him nervously, her fingers twisting in her lap. Her lower lip caught between her teeth.
Bella’s voice ca out small. "Do you... do you think I should?"
Leo’s expression softened.
Leo asked, "Do you want to?"
Bella nodded. "Yes."
Leo said, "Then do it."
Her face lit up like soone had turned on a light inside her. "Really?"
"Really."
She bounced on the coffee table, nearly knocking over a vase. Jay grabbed it just in ti.
Jay yelped. "Careful!"
Bella ignored him. She was staring at Leo, her brown eyes wide and bright and shining.
Leo asked, "Do you want to hire a dance teacher?"
Bella nodded. Rapidly. Her ponytail bounced. Her whole body vibrated with enthusiasm.
Leo’s heart lted.
She looked so cute. Her wide eyes. Her flushed cheeks. Her eager nod. She looked like a child on Christmas morning, like a puppy who had just been told she was going for a walk, like everything she had ever wanted was finally within reach.
Bella breathed, "Yes. Please. Can you? I need to practice. I need to be ready. I only have a week and four days."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "That’s not a lot of ti."
Bella’s voice was fierce. "I know. But I can do it. I just need help."
Leo pulled out his phone. "I’ll make so calls. There’s a choreographer I know. She’s worked with professionals. She can co tomorrow."
Bella squealed.
She launched herself off the coffee table and threw her arms around Leo’s neck, hugging him tightly. He caught her, wincing slightly as she jostled his injured arm, but he didn’t push her away.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder.
He wrapped his good arm around her and held her close.
Leo said quietly, "This is important to you."
"It is."
"Then it’s important to ."
She pulled back and kissed his cheek quickly, multiple tis, then gave him a smack on his lips.
Jay made a gagging noise. "You two are disgusting."
Bella stuck her tongue out at him.
Jay grinned.
Bella clutched her hands to her chest. "I’m so excited."
Jay sighed. "I can tell."
She bounced off to the kitchen, already humming, already planning, already dreaming of the stage.
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
The choreographer Leo found was his mother’s best friend. Samantha. Samantha had known Lina since they were in high school. And she had fifteen years of experience. She had taught at prestigious academies, choreographed for music videos, perford on stages across the country. She knew ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, ballroom.
Leo had called her late at night, explained the situation, asked for a favor.
Samantha had agreed imdiately.
"Anything for Lina’s daughter-in-law," she said.
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
The next day, Bella ca ho early.
She had texted Leo that she was leaving campus right after her last class, that she couldn’t wait, that she was so nervous she thought she might throw up. Leo had responded with a single word: Breathe.
She burst through the front door, dropped her bag on the floor, and ran to the living room.
Samantha was already there.
She was sitting on the couch, a cup of tea in her hands, her legs crossed elegantly at the ankles. She was in her early fifties, with silver-streaked dark hair pulled back in a sleek bun and sharp, kind eyes that crinkled when she smiled. She wore black leggings, a soft gray sweater, and ballet flats.
She looked like a dancer. Her body was graceful. Her movents were fluid. Everything about her spoke of years of discipline and practice.
Bella stopped in the doorway, suddenly shy.
Samantha said, her voice warm, "Hello. You must be Bella."
Bella stepped forward, her hands clasped in front of her. "Yes. Hi. I’m Bella. Thank you for coming."
Samantha set down her tea and stood. She was taller than Bella, but not intimidatingly so. "Of course. Leo told you need to prepare for a performance. In—" she glanced at her watch, "—a week and four days?"
Bella nodded. "I know it’s not a lot of ti."
Samantha smiled, confident. "It’s enough. I’ve done more with less."
Bella’s heart lifted.
Samantha walked to the center of the room, pushing the coffee table aside. She gestured for Bella to join her.
Samantha asked, "First, tell about your experience. Have you danced before?"
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