Chapter 88
Gabriel
We drive down the road and my eyes flick to watch Sarah disappear in the rearview mirror. My heart is in my throat, I was hoping that after thinking on it all night she would have had a change of heart.
Obviously not.
Ouch…
“So.” I fake a smile to the children. Tell me where your school is.”
here s
“You go up turn that way,” Dom says as he puts his little hand up.
“You mean right?” He frowns.
“That’s your right hand, so that direction is right.” “Oh yes.” He nods.
“Im left–handed,” Lucia announces.
“You are?” I frown.
“Me too.” Dominic replies.
“You take after me.” I smile proudly, “I’m left–handed.”
Their eyes both widen. “You are?”
“Whoa. Lucia whispers in astonishment. “We’re left–handed like our dad.”
And just like that, my day is better.
We arrive at the school and I park the car.
“What are you doing?” Dominic asks.
“Well…” I pause, unsure what he’s asking.
“Mom just drops us and drives away.”
“Can I come in and see your classroom?” I ask. “I’d like to see it.”
“Oh yes,” Lucia gasps. “I’ll show you all around the school. The library is the best part.”
“Okay, great.” I smile. I glance at my watch–I have a Zoom meeting at nine fifteen but they’ll have to wait.
We get out of the car, Lucia takes my hand and we walk down toward the school. The moms who are all standing
Chapter 8
children.
It’s a ponytail brigade, not one woman is made up or has makeup on.
Weird.
We walk past them and I give an awkward smile and nod. “Morning.” “Morning,” a few reply.
“Who is that?” I hear them whisper.
Lucia turns back to them. “This is our dad,” she calls, totally unfazed.
Their eyes widen, and I bite my lip to hide my smile.
“Did you see his shoes?” someone whispers.
We keep walking. “What’s wrong with my shoes?” I whisper to Dom. He looks down at them. “Nobody wears shoes like that.” “Then they should,” I reply.
“Our classroom is just up here,” Dominic tells me. We make our way up the stairs, and Lucia leads me inside by the hand. It’s like I’ve stepped into an artwork wonderland. There are things hanging from hoops suspended from the ceiling, the walls are covered in art and drawings, and I look around in awe. “This is spectacular.” I smile.
“We put our bags in here,” Lucia tells me, she shows me the bag stand with little shelves. “I’m the apple and Dominic is the giraffe.” She points to the little tiles on top of each bag spot.
“I see.” I watch on as they put their bags into their spot. “And where do you sit?”
“I sit over here.” Lucia runs to her seat.
“And this is my seat.” Dominic shows me his seat. “I have to sit next to Maryanne.”
“Is she nice?” I ask.
“No, she tries to boss me around all day.”
I chuckle and look to the back wall, there’s a big heading above a heap of drawings.
Our weekend
“What’s that?” I ask
“Oh, on Mondays we draw pictures of our weekend and they hang on the wall for the week,” Lucia tells me.
I walk to the
I walk to the back wall and my eyes scan the pictures, and then I see it
and my heart stops.
The name Dominic in the top right corner, the picture is of a campfire and four people sitting around it. They’re holding sticks with marshunallows on them. The teacher has written a comment across the bottom.
Chapter 88
My dad came over and we played Uno and had a campfire.
It was the best
Emotion overwhelms me, and the picture blurs.
What is it with me lately, these kids have made me an emotional basket case.
“This is the best thing I have ever seen.” I smile as I stare at it. “When it gets taken down from the wall, can I please have this? I’d like to hang it in my office so I can look at it every day.”
Dominic smiles up at me, and I push the hair back from his forehead as I stare down at him.
This kid.
“And where is your picture, Lucia?” My eyes return to scan the wall, and I see the name Lucia in the bottom row. It’s a picture of a girl with dark hair.
Huh?
My dad’s girlfriend came over and was angry. She smashed our glasses
“Oh…” My eyes widen in horror.
Chapter 89
Chapter 89
