Reflections of Light

Nothing Is Wrong

Lila was awake and hungry.

Peeling aside her pink bedspread, she swung her legs over the side of the mattress, hopping down onto the plush carpet and padding over to the door.

Careful not to make the door creak too loud, she opened it out onto the hallway, walking on tiptoes across the landing to her Dad's room.
Pulling down on the handle to open the door, Lila peered into the room and frowned.
He wasn't in his room. Which was strange, because she'd definitely heard him come home.

Maybe he was downstairs already? Sometimes that happened. He always said he did his best thinking at three in the morning.

Anyway, Mina the housekeeper would be arriving soon, and then they could have a lovely Sunday morning breakfast.

Feeling satisfied in her conclusion, Lila wandered along the landing to the staircase, quietly humming the tune to Sleeping Beauty's 'Once upon a dream' to herself in a contented tone.

Until she stopped dead at the top of the stairs, and let out a shriek. "WHAT are you doing HERE?"

"Climbin'!" Billy said simply, clinging to the bannister in his pirate print pyjamas, his arms straining with the effort and his grin wide.

"DADDYYYY!" Lila screeched. "THERE'S A STRANGE BOY ON THE STAIRS!"

***

Declan hadn't meant to fall asleep in the guest room with Luci. She'd just insisted he stay late, being with her until she fell asleep. He'd meant to leave after that, but evidently hadn't got that far; although not without effort, if his position at the very edge of the mattress suggested anything.

Luci took up the centre of the bed, turned to face Dec as she sprawled across the mattress, taking up the majority of the covers.

There was a faint trickle of sunlight around the curtains; lightly illuminating the elegant but impersonal guest room in a warming glow.

"... DADDYYY! THERE'S A STRANGE BOY ON THE STAIRS!"

Dec sat bolt-upright, practically falling off the bed in surprise, and stumbling towards the door in a stupor, to rip it open and peer out onto the landing. "Lila?!"

"Daddy, there's a strange boy." Lila repeated a few steps away from the top of the stairs, pointing distainfully down at said child.

Dec strode over, squinting Sleepily against the low light to see where she was looking. "... That's just Billy, go back to bed. "

"Who's Billy?" Lila asked, looking confused.

"... Lila, you've met Billy." Dec said tiredly.

"Where?" She demanded stubbornly.

"In the car. We gave him and his mum a lift, remember?"

Lila thought about it. "... Ohhh, yes. I remember." She narrowed her eyes at Billy, like she was eyeing up a rival. "The annoying boy.".

"You're annoying-er." Billy shot back, swinging back on the bannister.

Lila scowled at him, then her face lit up as something seemed to occur to her. "... Is his nice mummy here?"

Dec raised a finger to his lips, gesturing them to hush down a bit. "Shh... Yes, yes she is. She's asleep though, okay? We don't want to wake her up now, do we?"

Lila nodded. "She's asleep... In that room, that you were in?"

"Yes."

"... Sleeping in there with her?" Lila said with a sly grin.