“He says he loves Princess Glitter forever and ever,” Skyler explains patiently, like this should be obvious. “And that he’ll always take care of her.”
Something twists in my chest. I glance at Kiera and find her looking at the doll in her hands, her expression unreadable.
“Okay,” I say, keeping my voice light. I clear my throat and put on my best dramatic voice. “Princess Glitter, I promise to love you forever and ever. And to always take care of you. And to...” I pause for effect. “Share my pizza.”
Skyler giggles. “Ken doesn’t eat pizza!”
“He does now,” I say seriously. “It’s in the vows.”
Kiera laughs—that genuine, unguarded sound that I’m becoming addicted to. “Pizza vows. Very romantic.”
We play for another twenty minutes, Skyler directing us through increasingly elaborate scenarios involving underwater kingdoms, castle balls, and at one point, a dragon attack that requires Elsa to freeze everything. Kiera gets into it, doing voices for the different dolls and adding plot twists that make Skyler squeal with delight.
I mostly just watch Kiera. The way her whole face lights up when she makes Skyler laugh. The way she’s completely present. The way she’s gentle with this little girl who clearly adores her.
This is what I want, I realize. Not just Kiera the talented chef or Kiera the sarcastic defender of emotional walls. But I want the Kiera who plays Barbies on the floor and does silly voices and looks at her niece like she’s the sweetest thing since apple pie.
“I’m bored with Barbies,” Skyler announces suddenly. “Can we watch a movie?”
I look at Kiera, deferring to her judgment. She checks her phone for the time. “It’s getting late, but... sure. One movie.”
“Frozen!” Skyler bounces excitedly. “Can we watch Frozen, River?”
“Sure.” I stand and offer my hand to Kiera, pulling her to her feet. She lets go of my hand quickly, but I’m getting used to that reaction.
“Come on,” I say. “I have a better place to watch movies than in here.”
I lead them down the hallway to a door in the back of my house. Skyler runs ahead of us, down the aisle of my theater room. She stops and gasps.
“Wow!”
I have to admit, this is the room that sold this house for me. There are three rows of leather recliners, four seats in each row, all facing a massive screen that takes up the entire farwall. The walls are painted dark blue, and there’s soft lighting along the baseboards that creates a cozy atmosphere. In the very front, closest to the screen, there’s a sectional couch that I had installed because sometimes I like to sprawl out when I’m watching footage.
“This is like a real movie theater!” Skyler spins in a circle, taking it all in.
“It kind of is,” I admit. “I like to watch my footage in here sometimes. The big screen helps me see details I might miss on my computer monitor.”
Skyler runs to the couch and throws herself onto it. “I want to sit here!”
Kiera hesitates, her eyes wide as she takes in the space. “River, this is... excessive.”
“I know.” I shrug. “But it’s useful for work, and it’s fun for movie nights. Come on.”
I grab the remote and pull up Disney+ while Kiera makes her way to the couch. Skyler is already sprawled across one end, leaving a space just big enough for Kiera and myself. Kiera sits down and I have no choice but to sit right beside her.
The moment I sit down, Skyler scrambles over me and curls up on Kiera’s lap. I start the movie, and the opening notes fill the surround sound system. Skyler snuggles deeper into Kiera’s arms, and Kiera wraps her arms around the little girl, holding her close.
I try to focus on the movie but I keep finding my attention drifting to Kiera. To the way she’s gently stroking Skyler’s hair. To the soft expression on her face. To the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes.
About halfway through the movie, I notice Skyler has gone completely still. Her eyes are closed, her breathing deep and even.
“She’s out,” I whisper.
Kiera looks down and smiles. “She always does this. Gets so excited about watching a movie, then falls asleep twenty minutes in.”
“Should we turn it off?”
“Not yet.” Kiera adjusts her hold on Skyler slightly, cradling her more securely. “Let’s watch for a bit longer. I don’t want to wake her moving too much.”
