The Sway and Slide of Love

"Yeah, they've got four elderly parents and two kids to take care of. One of them got laid off, and the other had their salary cut. If they don't sell the house, they might not be able to make ends meet."

"True. That's why it's better to work for a big company. The benefits are good, and the job's more stable."

"Exactly."

"By the way, Noelle, that friend of yours runs a company, right? How's he doing these days?"

Noelle had been listening quietly for a while without chiming in, so when the conversation finally turned to her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of "I knew it!".

She almost wanted to laugh, but she held it in and instead asked, "What friend?"

"You know..."

"Rosie's dad!" someone quickly interjected, finding what they thought was an appropriate way of addressing Hendrix. But almost immediately, they seemed to regret it and cautiously added, "He is Rosie's dad, right?"

"I don't know much about him," Noelle replied bluntly. "We've been divorced for years, and we hardly have any contact."

"Is that so? But it seemed like he was around quite a bit recently. Do you think he still has feelings for you?"

"If you ask me, the two of you look really good together! My mother-in-law even said it's no wonder Rosie is so pretty. How could she not be adorable when you two are such a good-looking couple?"

"He and I are no longer a couple," Noelle said firmly.

It might sound like a simple correction, but there was a hint of warning in her tone. The sudden sharpness in her voice caught the other mothers off guard.

Noelle quickly stood up. "I need to go home to make dinner now. Bye."

"Noelle, wait! Um... Could you let me know when your friend comes over next time? My husband has some things he'd like to discuss with him."

The voice trailed after her, but Noelle didn't respond, nor did she stop in her tracks.

Rosie had finished playing by then. When Noelle approached, Rosie immediately took her hand and followed her.

Rosie had a great time today and chattered nonstop with Noelle on the way home. "Betty said there's a pink@lephant that flies around. Mommy, is that true?"

"It's true, but it's also not true."

"What does that mean?"

"It's all done with special effects."

"What are special effects?"

"They are "

Just as Noelle was about to explain, Rosie got distracted by something else and

ran ahead. "What's this? Why is it blocking our door?"

Noelle glanced at the couch and then at the open door across the hall. She remembered that the unit across from hers was occupied by a retired couple, and they had gone to another city to visit their son noveldrama

Had they returned?

Yet, something felt off.

Because besides the suitcases and furniture cluttering the hallway, there were several people going in and out of the apartment. It looked more like a move was underway.

"Sorry. Are we blocking your way?" a voice called out. "We're moving some stuff. Let me clear this for you."

As he spoke, the man signaled to his companions, and they carried the heavy coffee table inside.

"Are you the new tenants?" Noelle finally had the chance to ask.

"Not us," the man who had spoken earlier replied quickly. "We're just hired help. The client isn't here."