23. Chapter 23
Charlie
Happiness had a distinct shape.
That morning, it looked like sunlight pouring through the classroom windows.
It reached the aquarium and caught there, making the pebbles inside glow like golden coins.
Even the fish looked happy as they drifted lazily through the brightness, exploring their small territory as if for the first time.
Charlie’s stomach fluttered. She, too, was exploring new territory. Later that evening, she was going on a date with Lorenz. Not coffee. Not dinner. Not—or not just—sex. An actual date.
The thought was enough to make her cheeks warm, even now, alone in her classroom. It felt absurd because this wasn’t a first date—she and Lorenz had been married—but it felt like a first date.
She wasn’t even tentatively happy. No. There was no tentative about it. Today she felt truly, absolutely happy. Happy because she understood how right she and Lorenz were for one another now, in a way that perhaps they hadn’t been ready for before.
The last couple of nights, Lorenz had tucked her into bed, but hadn’t touched her.
He’d wanted to touch her. She’d seen it in his face, in the hard line of his jaw and the tension in his body.
But he’d held firm. Tonight, things were going to be different.
She might even stop by a store on her way back to his place.
A new, sexy nightgown wouldn’t go amiss.
But before that, she had a big day ahead: their second field trip of the term.
She set her large handbag on her desk and glanced automatically at the clock on the back wall.
The kids would start arriving any minute, ready to head out into the forest to collect leaves, twigs, and rocks for the spring exhibit.
It was the kind of outing she loved best. No museum schedules, no complicated scavenger hunts, no endless reminders not to touch displays … no walls to climb. Just a long walk, fresh air, and second-graders choosing their favorite stones and twigs to bring back with them.
She sat down for a minute to check her email. There were plenty of new messages, but none from social services. They’d reached out to her and Sean the previous day, but hadn’t set a meeting yet.
Don’t they realize how urgent this is?
She clicked refresh, knowing it would have no effect.
Charlie exhaled and sat back in her chair. It was still early. Social services probably had to coordinate the agendas of several people. That could take time. But she’d hoped for some signs that things were moving in the right direction—that somebody was thinking about Théo.
She was about to click refresh a third time when her phone rang.
She snatched it up at once.
“All?, oui.”
“Charlie? This is Sean.”
Something in his tone straightened her spine immediately. Sean was always one of the first to arrive at school, but he was very careful not to call teachers before the official workday had started.
“Yes?”
“I’ve just had a call from the police.”
Charlie froze. A million things went through her mind at the same time. This couldn’t be about the vandalism to her apartment. It probably had nothing to do with Lorenz—nobody knew about her and Lorenz. So then …
“There was an incident last night. Madame Pelletier went to the gendarmerie.” A brief pause. “She made a formal accusation. Violence domestique.”
Domestic violence.
Charlie’s stomach dropped. She’d been right. Right enough for the police to be involved. Right enough that whatever was happening in that house had crossed the line into something official.
“Is Théo okay?” she asked.
“He’s fine. He and his mother are staying somewhere else. So obviously the meeting with social services is going to happen sooner than planned.”
“Of course. Is there anything I can do? Will Théo be coming to school today? We have a field trip.”
“I expect so. His mother agrees that keeping to a routine is the best thing for him. His mother doesn’t think he saw anything yesterday, but you’ll keep an eye out, in case he needs to talk?”
“Of course,” Charlie assured him.
They ended the call, and Charlie lowered the phone slowly onto her desk.
For a moment she just stood there, staring at the rows of small tables in front of her. The classroom looked exactly as it always did—orderly, cheerful, full of color—and yet everything felt different.
She’d been right, but maybe too slow. Something had happened that had forced Théo’s mother to go to the police, and even if Théo hadn’t seen anything, he’d been involved.
Had she done enough? Could she have acted sooner?
A noise in the corridor made her straighten, just as the first few children burst through the door.
“Ms Brooks! I brought my bag!”
Charlie turned, smiling.
“Well done, Ellie,” she said as the girl held up a tiny drawstring sack in both her hands, as if presenting a royal offering.
Behind her came Lina, proudly carrying a large canvas sack that would do Santa Claus proud.
Charlie blinked. “Lina… are you planning to collect half the forest?”
Lina beamed. “Papa said it’s always better to be prepared.”
Charlie laughed.
More children arrived, stopping by her desk to show off their bags. Charlie had asked them to bring bags for their treasures, and the children had clearly interpreted that instruction with breathtaking creativity.
“Well, I think we’re ready to collect the best leaves and rocks!”
Charlie checked that the kids all had a water bottle and a snack, though she carried extra snacks of different varieties in her own bag. Gluten free. Nut free. Egg free.
“Any questions, before we leave?”
Several questions fired at once.
“Can we pick flowers too?”
“What if I find a feather?”
“Feathers are fine, as long as they’re on the ground.” The kids laughed. “We’re not picking any flowers, though. Remember what the gendarmes told us during our last field trip? Flowers are part of the ecosystem. They provide food for insects and birds, so we want to make sure not to disturb that.”
“Any more questions?” There were none. “So. Who’s ready to go to the forest?”
A cheer went up through the whole classroom.
“We’re going to have a great time.” She checked the field trip’s Whatsapp group. The other two classes were just about ready as well. The only kid who wasn’t here was Théo. Charlie typed a message quickly, explaining she needed a few more minutes. “Now, before we go, remember the rules.”
A few groans answered that, but the kids were smiling.
“No standing on the bus. No shouting on the bus. No grabbing things from other people’s bags. We look, we collect, and we always stay with the group.”
She was still smiling when she saw Théo in the doorway.
Finally.
He stood very still for a moment, one hand on the strap of his schoolbag, his expression unreadable in that way children’s faces sometimes became when they were trying hard to be brave.
“Good morning, Théo,” she said, keeping her voice warm and ordinary.
He gave a small nod. “Good morning, Ms. Brooks. I brought my bag,” he said, pulling out a modest paper bag.
“That’s perfect, Théo. We had just finished going over the field trip rules. Who can share the rules with Théo?” Three or four voices called out the main rules. Charlie’s phone pinged, letting her know the bus was ready to leave.
“All right, everyone,” she said, straightening. “Hats on. Partners beside you. And don’t forget your bags.”
Charlie followed the children out of the classroom, her heart strangely split in two—one half light with thoughts of Lorenz and the future they had taken back, the other aching for the small boy walking so quietly near the back of the line.