Topic

Daniella gave me the squint, but I forced the topic change anyways. 

"Your senior sister Anisa must've not wanted you to pay for her mother's treatment," I said, knowing it would disturb her state of mind. "Have you truly reconciled with Clara and Casper? I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable spot."

Much to my surprise, Daniella's squint only narrowed. She did not give me the expected scowl or frown. 

"Aren't you glad we signed with Little Starlight? It was your top choice, and you are a big fan of Clara. You should be over the moon, not worrying about me. It's a certain someone who's worrying about me, isn't it? You wouldn't bother." 

"Am I that kind of selfish person?" 

Daniella's nod was anything but curt. It was firm and decisive like the swing of the gavel from a judge. "Yes." 

"I thought we settled the matter about me trying to take advantage of you." 

"I still have recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of it. I relieve it as if it were happening again. I have upsetting dreams and nightmares as well as severe emotional distress and physical reactions to it." 

"Traumatic, indeed." I looked her in the eye. "Well, I understand. The letters must've hurt. You dealt with it well, though I do not exactly warrant the swearing." 

Daniella's squint disappeared. "You do take after Lumi." 

"She was worried about you before negotiations." 

"You're way easier to talk to after I praise her resemblance to you, huh?" Daniella said, giving me half of a snicker. "I'm okay. I'm not that close to Clara, so her keeping things from me is understandable. I was only irked of by that damned Anisa." 

"I'm glad to hear that. Er, some of that." 

Daniella chuckled. "You don't have to worry about Lumi staying with Clara, though I'd stay wary around Casper. He can step out of his boundaries at times, but that doesn't mean he's a bad person." 

"Are you kidding? After what happened with the first contract during negotiations, of course I'd be wary. I only read a few lines of that thing, but it felt like he was trying to sell Lumi. I hope their way of growing her popularity and training her singing skills is tame." 

Then Daniella's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and raised her head towards me. 

"Well, speak of the devil. You've been waiting the whole weekend for this, but they've prepared something." 

***

"Good morning, my little diamond Lumi! How are you today?" the enthusiastic Clara asked. 

Lumi was a bit turned off by her booming voice and excitement. She clutched the fabric of my sweatpants tighter, mumbling some polite words. 

"I'm doing well, thank you." 

Clara rolled up in her wheelchair closer to her. She craned her neck forwards to meet her eyes. "Are you excited for today? We called you over because we have something planned." 

Her mysterious tone seemed to infect and transmit some of her excitement towards Lumi. She stood a little firmer and her meek, timid expression brightened. 

"Will... will I be singing?" 

The simple question made Clara squeal in delight, like a guinea pig in love. "Ooh, you're such a precious treasure, eager to sing! Are you always like this?"

Lumi gave firm nods. "I want to sing, always! I like to sing!"

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Clara said, retracting her neck and laughing out loud. "Because we'll be doing exactly that." She turned to me. "Can I borrow her?" 

I turned and glanced downwards at my side, towards Lumi. I asked her if she was okay with separating through our shared telepathy. 

I think I'll be okay, Dad. She doesn't feel so scary anymore. 

Well, shout or tell me in my mind if you need anything, okay? I'll be there in a heartbeat, as always. 

Hehe. Thanks, Dad.

I gave Lumi and encouraging push on her back, beckoning her forwards.

"Of course," I told Clara, flattered by her expectant stare that did not waver one bit. "She's a bit shy, so please treat her well." 

"How could bear to treat her poorly?! Come, my precious little diamond. I'll show you our recording studio. It's your first time seeing one, right?" 

"Yeah!"

.

.

.

"Hey. Can we talk?"

The interior of the building where Little Starlight situated was a bit strange. We entered though the hallway on the left side of the seventh floor into an office, Casper's office. There was no reception, save for the sofa and a coffee table with a flower in a vase.

Casper was nowhere to be seen on his office chair when we entered, so I jumped when he tapped my shoulders. 

"Yeah. Of course." 

He beckoned me towards the office section of the room, pulling a chair for me. I was polite and took a seat and remained patient in waiting. He clicked and clicked around the computer. 

"Sorry to call you in so early in the morning." 

I leaned back against the chair and shook my head. "No worries. Besides, it's not early at all. It's almost noon." 

Casper cracked a smile, turning and facing me. "Well, we usually get to work around two." 

"E-eh?" 

"Not a lot of artists have signed with us, you know. The ones that do, they don't stay with us long." 

"E-eh?" 

"There's a reason for that. Most of the artists that do sign with us don't have great or even good potential. They're simply looking for the easy way into the industry, a cheat, a backdoor using Clara's name and reputation." 

"Little Starlight. It's based on her last name. This is her dream, isn't it? She'd be too kind to turn them down."

Casper showed a look of deep sorrow uncharacteristic of him. "Exactly. It's been her obsession ever since the accident. You know about it, right?"

"Who wouldn't? She was in every headline for weeks. Rumors, speculations."

"The accident took away function of her legs. It would've taken away much more if she didn't have her dream to clutch, latch onto, and persist through surgery."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said. He was Clara's husband after all. He must have been devasted. 

"Well, I should be the one saying sorry to you," Casper said, all the sudden. I was taken aback. "It was very rude and impolite. It would tarnish our reputation if word got out." 

I raised an eyebrow, then softened it. "Don't worry about it. I didn't take it too seriously. Daniella said you had your reasons, too." 

"Really, huh? She spoke out for me?" Casper chuckled. "I'm glad to hear to that. But yes, I did. It was to test you. To see how much you support Lumi in becoming a star, because I don't have much time."

"You mean..." My eyes widened. I realized where he took the topic and the direction of the conversation.

"Clara might look fine on the outside, but she has another surgery scheduled in three months. I worry that if Little Starlight continues like this without fulfilling her dreams, she won't make it."