Page 35 of Breathe Me: Smith & Belle

“That’s amazing, beautiful.” I meant it. She’d taken her company, Bless, from an idea to a force in the fashion industry. But that wasn’t what really mattered. I hadn’t seen her this excited for weeks.

“Lola spoke with them. She’s going to put things together and send them to me for approval. It will have to be a joint effort until I’m back from maternity leave,” she rattled off all the details in a hushed voice while Penny continued to sleep in my arms.

“Your mum is famous,” I whispered to Penny, and Belle smiled sheepishly, rolling her eyes.

“It’s nothing.” She shrugged and I could already sense the happiness fading from her. I wished I could find the place where it was seeping out and fix it.

“It’s everything,” I said quickly. “And you don’t have to take maternity leave, beautiful.”

She bristled and I rushed on before she could mistake what I was saying. “I’m here without any clients. We can always call Nora to come a few days a week, so we have an extra set of hands.”

Belle bit her lower lip, a battle playing across her pale features. “Penny’s too little for a nanny.”

“Not a nanny. Just some help,” I corrected her. I’d been thinking of how to bring this up for a while. “Penny could be with you while you worked and Nora could just hang out. Nora might even be an extra set of eyes for you.”

“She’s a little young to be our target demographic, but she did seem interested in Bless,” Belle said thoughtfully. “Maybe just a couple afternoons a week.”

“That makes sense,” I said casually.

Belle took a deep breath, her eyes finding the floor, before she finally lifted them and whispered, “Am I a bad mom if I miss working?”

I shook my head, sighing, feeling as though a missing piece of an unfinished puzzle had finally appeared.

“How can you be sure?”

“If I told you I needed to meet a client in the village, what would you say?” I asked.

“I guess I’d just ask when and how long you’d be gone.” Her eyebrows furrowed together. “But you aren’t taking clients.”

“That’s not the point. It wouldn’t be odd for me to ask, so you shouldn’t feel guilty for working either,” I pointed out.

“It’s not like we need the money. I should be the one home with Penny,” she continued.

“And you will be.” I turned and kissed her forehead. “If anyone can be a brilliant business woman and a super mum, it’s you.”

“Are you sure?” The corners of her mouth twitching like she might actually smile.

“I’ll always bet on you,” I promised, meaning it with all my heart.