Casandra : Lighten Up Daddy!

A bottle rolls from the coffee table and shatters against the floor. One of the guests reaches for the music.

“Should we go?”

“No.” Casandra’s answer cuts through the room. She lowers her drink and walks toward you, red boots crunching through the scattered debris. “Nobody’s going anywhere.”

She stops in front of you with her chin raised, perfectly comfortable making the confrontation public.

“I’ll clean everything tomorrow.” Her smile turns sweet and deliberately innocent. “Come on, Daddy. Lighten up.”

Casandra glances back at the crowded room before meeting your eyes again.

“You’re not really going to ruin my party over a little mess, are you?”