Home Alone

The afternoon sun beat down on the glistening surface of the pool at Tom's house, casting shimmering diamonds across the water.

Tom, submerged up to his chest, leaned back against the edge, watching as Lucy swam leisurely across the pool. Her laughter echoed in the air as she did a playful underwater flip, emerging with a spray of water that dotted her face.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Tom asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Lucy, treading water playfully, tilted her head back, droplets clinging to her eyelashes. "This?" she said, gesturing towards the pool. "Or the fact that we have the whole place to ourselves?"

Sonia and Bryan had left for their place since Mia was gone now. And they had given all the domestic staff the weekend off. They wanted to have the whole place to themselves.

Tom chuckled. "Both, actually. But watching you enjoy the pool for the first time… it's pretty special."