Chapter 1—Willow #2
Opening my eyes, I look up and give her a smile. “It’s fine. Thanks, though.”
She nods and turns back to her work.
I debate for five seconds about what the next move is before I pick up the office phone and dial a number I know by heart.
Kicking off my heels under my desk, I get comfortable.
I might only be here fifteen more minutes, but I’m not going to be in any more pain than I have to be.
Especially when I’m about to cause more of it tomorrow.
“Mommy!” Lily yells at the top of the steps of her school the second she sees me.
putting a much-needed smile on my face. The weight of the day slips just a little with that one look.
I can always count on my littlest one to brighten my mood.
She’s done so every second since she was brought into this world.
I wave at her but hold back my shout of joy.
Mostly because there are about twenty parents in front of me picking up their kids as well, and me yelling won’t help curb any rambunctious child being picked up from school on a Friday.
Kids might not completely understand the joys of weekends yet, especially a five-year-old who’s been “taught” how to play for the last seven hours of kindergarten.
They have more fun here than I bet they do at home.
Still, they all seem to have extra energy during Friday pickups.
By the time I make it to the front, Lily is hopping from one foot to the other, and her older sister, Ivy, is rolling her eyes but smiling simultaneously.
My brilliant seven-year-old is way too wise for her years and tries to parent more than she should.
But even she can’t deny the joy that Lily brings out of just about everyone she meets.
Thankfully, Ivy hasn’t hit the “embarrassed to be hugged by her mom” stage yet, and I’m wrapped in the best two hugs a person could ask for.
“How was school?” I grab Lily’s backpack and put it on my shoulder before taking a hand from each girl in mine as we make our way to the bus stop across the street.
One thing my ex pays for is school tuition, but getting here and back to the house is on me.
And while I might be the queen of clipping coupons, owning a car in New York doesn’t seem like a needed expense.
Subways are an option, too, but Lily’s not a fan of going underground, and really, I’m not either.
I avoid them when I can, usually when I’m with the girls.
Buses aren’t the cleanest, but they’re reliable. And that’s one thing I need in my life—predictability. They always show up on time, rain or shine. Perfect for a single mom trying to give her girls the world without them knowing how much they don’t have.
I’m getting away with it for now. They’re young; they don’t need or want much.
And hopefully, with a few more months, I can afford after-school programs and take over the school tuition, which will allow me to apply for a full-time position at Leone Holdings.
That would improve our lives substantially.
At least it wouldn’t feel like living paycheck to paycheck.
We could even start saving for a bigger place, maybe one next to a park where Lily could go and play.
She loves the swings. I try to take them to a park on weekends if the weather is nice, but it looks like it won’t happen this weekend.
“It was good. Mrs. Linderhouse said I can start on the next math level.”
I nod at Ivy as we get on the bus and find a seat close to the front. I sit Lily on my lap to save room for the other passengers.
“That’s great, sweetie. And how was PE? Did you get picked for leader of the month?
” She’s been working hard all month to get the coveted “leader” spot in her class.
Not because she likes the title, but rather the benefits of being the person who picks the warm-up stretches they get to do every Friday in the following month before they do whatever the teacher has planned.
“I did!”
“Great work, honey. What did you pick?”
“Yoga.” Her smile turns wicked as I giggle with Lily at her expression. “The boys hate it.”
My little brainiac also has a bit of a mean streak.
Revenge is more like it. Usually a boy is picked to lead the class, and they always have to do push-ups or run or something Ivy considers “boy fun.” Once she realized the only reason a boy got picked was because the girls never tried hard enough to get it, she doubled her efforts and succeeded.
“And what about you, Lily? How was your day?”
“Well, first it started with Sarah taking my red crayon.”
I fold my lips inside my mouth to keep from laughing at the dramatic way my little sassy girl describes all the “horrible” things that happened at school, from someone choosing the same color she picked to not having enough time on the swings.
As she goes on and on, I share a look with Ivy, who rolls her eyes again but smiles.
This is our Lily. Dramatic to a T. But we love her.
Despite everything, she still makes us all smile, and even when she’s mad at someone, they’re still her friend.
“How was your day, Mommy?” Ivy asks once Lily settles down from her story and plays with the buttons on my blouse.
“Not the worst.” I don’t lie to the girls, but I sugarcoat as much as I can. “I got good news, though.”
“Yeah?” Lily perks up at my words. “What is it? Tell us. Tell us.” She bounces on my lap with unrestrained excitement.
“You get to hang out with Mrs. Carlton tomorrow. I have to go to the office for a bit, and she said she can watch you.”
“Yay!” Lily cries out before throwing her arms around my neck and squeezing me tightly.
“I have a class project to work on this weekend,” Ivy grumbles.
I pat her knee. “Don’t worry about it. I already spoke to Mrs. Carlton about it. She says she has the poster board already and is happy to help start it with you. Then after work, we can finish it at home or on Sunday. Is that okay?”
I let Ivy work it out in her mind before she nods and grins. “That works.”
God, what would I do without Mrs. Carlton? The girls love her. She’s a retired teacher and knows how to handle kids. But she’s also wrapped around my girls’ fingers and spoils them more than I can right now.
But one day. One day I’ll be able to spoil them like they should be. Like the treasures they are.