Dinner

The doorbell chimed through the quiet house just as Liana finished hanging the last of her shirts in the guest room closet.

​"I'll get it!" Nina called out from downstairs, her footsteps hurrying across the hardwood floor.

​Liana smiled to herself, stepping out into the hallway and quietly turning the knob to Ava’s room. She slipped inside, the soft light from the hall illuminating the little girl curled up under the blankets. Ava’s chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm, her small hands clutching the stuffed bear Nina had left for her. Liana leaned down, gently pressing a kiss to her forehead. Seeing how deeply asleep she was, Liana decided against waking her. Ava needed the rest after such a long trip, and she could always eat a bit later if she woke up hungry.

​She pulled the door almost shut, leaving a small crack, and headed downstairs.

​The mouthwatering aroma of hot garlic dough and melted cheese filled the dining area. Nina was already setting the steaming pizza box onto the table along with two plates and paper towels.

​"Is Ava coming down?" Nina asked, opening the box to reveal a perfectly crisp pepperoni pizza.

​"No, she’s completely out," Liana said, sitting down and reaching for a slide. "I decided to let her sleep. I'll warm up a slice for her if she wakes up later."

​"Fair enough. More for us!" Nina grinned, grabbing her first slice.

​They ate in cozy comfort, the initial rush of hunger making them quiet for the first few minutes. But soon enough, the easy chatter picked back up. They talked about random, nonsensical things—Nina’s noisy next-door neighbor who insisted on mowing the lawn at seven in the morning, a ridiculous commercial they both remembered from high school, and how much harder it was to stay up late nowadays compared to their teenage years.

​"I'm telling you, two slices of pizza after 8 PM and my body acts like I consumed pure concrete," Nina joked, wiping her hands on a napkin.

​

Liana laughed, but as the playful banter settled, a small, thoughtful silence settled over the table. She took a slow sip of her water, staring down at her plate before looking up at Nina.

​"So..." Liana started, her voice dropping to a more serious tone. "I've been thinking. Now that we’re settled, I really need to start looking for work."

​Nina leaned back in her chair, listening intently. "Work? Already? Liana, you just got here today. Give yourself a couple of days to breathe."

​"I know, but I can't just sit around," Liana said, her fingers tracing the edge of her plate. "Ava is growing up fast, expenses are real, and I need a steady income. I can't afford to just idle away time."

​"Okay, okay," Nina nodded, taking her seriously. "What kind of work are you thinking? What’s the plan?"

​"That’s the thing," Liana sighed, leaning her elbows on the table. "I’m not entirely sure. Do I start from scratch somewhere new? Look for something standard? Or try to leverage what I already know?"

​They spent the next hour tossing ideas back and forth. Nina suggested everything from remote customer support to opening a small online business, while Liana weighed the pros and cons of each. But every idea felt like starting completely from square one—building something from the ground up that would take months, if not years, to yield stability.

​"What about your old career?" Nina asked carefully, eyeing her. "Modeling?"

​Liana paused. The word hung in the air for a second. Modeling had been a massive part of her past, a chaotic world of photoshoots, strict schedules, and high-pressure environments. But it was also where her real experience lay. She knew the industry, the expectations, and the people.

​

"I don't know..." Liana hesitated. "It's been a while. The industry moves fast, and I've been out of the loop."

​"Yeah, but you were good at it," Nina pointed out, leaning forward. "And you don't have to start as an unknown beginner. You already have a history. You have contacts. Who was that manager you used to work with? The one who practically ran your entire schedule back then?"

​"Sarah," Liana supplied instantly. The name came without a second thought. Sarah had been tough, demanding, but fiercely loyal to her talent and extremely connected in the industry.

​"Exactly, Sarah!" Nina said, snapping her fingers. "Why not reach out to her? Just a quick message or call to test the waters. See if she has any leads or if she’d even be open to working together again."

​Liana stared into space, running the idea through her head. Calling Sarah felt like reopening a chapter of her life she had put on pause. It was daunting, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She didn't need to rebuild the wheel; she just needed a door to open.

​

"Maybe you're right," Liana slowly admitted, a faint smile touching her lips. "I mean... what’s the worst she can say? 'No'?"

​"Exactly," Nina beamed. "See? Problem solved. Well, step one solved."

​They finished up dinner, packed away the leftover pizza, and cleaned up the kitchen together. By the time they said their goodnights, the house was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of hallway nightlights.

​Upstairs, Liana checked on Ava one last time. The little girl was still fast asleep, peacefully resting in the cozy room.

​Liana softly closed the door and walked over to her own bedroom. She didn't turn on the main light, letting only the dim moonlight stream through the blinds. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, the quiet of the night made her heart beat a little faster.

​

She reached over to the nightstand, picked up her phone, and unlocked the screen.

​Swiping past her daily notifications, she opened her contacts list. She scrolled slowly down through the 'S' section until her thumb hovered over one specific name: 

Sarah (Manager).

​Her heart hammered in her chest as she stared at the screen. Calling her former manager meant jumping back into a world she had left behind. It meant stepping into the unknown again, not just for herself, but for Ava.

​Liana took a deep breath, her thumb hovering directly over the call button.

​She closed her eyes,

 exhaled softly, 

 and pressed it.