She adjusted her hold, automatically reciprocating Lucy’s wide smile. “Hi, honey! How’s school going?”
Lucy shrugged. “Good.”
“Just good?” she teased. “Where are all of my stories, huh?”
“I can’t tell you themhere,” Lucy stressed, throwing her arm behind her in a gesture toward all of her classmates, many of whom were excitedly looking at her. Several of whom were waving. “Everyone would hear, silly.”
“Yes, excuse my silliness, please.” She used her free hand to smooth the hair that had escaped the braid Sutton had done this morning back behind Lucy’s ear.
Lucy giggled before she peered over Sutton’s shoulder. “Is—did Mom come with you?”
That awful, gnawing feeling returned to her stomach. She hated having to deliver the news to her daughter every time Layla did this. She steeled herself for it by taking a deep breath and subtly taking a step backward. Just far enough out of the doorway so that if Lucy had an emotional response, she’d be able to comfort her away from the eyes of all of Lucy’s peers.
“Honey, your mom issosorry, but?—”
She could literallyfeelthe disappointed slump of Lucy’s shoulders, a physical heaviness weighing her down. “She isn’t coming.”
Sutton readjusted her hold on Lucy, tightening it a bit so that it turned into something mirroring a cradle. She kept her voice down, soft and comforting. “I’m really sorry, sweetie. She thought she’d be able to make it.”
“But she hassurgery,” Lucy muttered, her eyes downcast as she leaned heavily against Sutton. Her tone was a mix of heartbreakingly youthful disappointment and equally heartbreaking entirely-too-adult acceptance.
“She does,” Sutton confirmed, reaching up to stroke Lucy’s hair again, knowing her daughter loved it. “But it’s okay for you to be upset, love. Okay?”
Lucy nodded against her shoulder, not saying anything as Sutton slid her hand down to rub her back in small circles.
She only looked up from being absorbed in comforting the small, warm body against her own, as Miss Izzie, Lucy’s teacher this semester, approached.
Sutton placed her in her mid- to late twenties, eager and excited, as a kindergarten teacher likely should be, who was also poised and organized… also as a kindergarten teacher likely should be.
Miss Izzie wore a hesitant smile as she stood in the doorway, giving Lucy a brief, concerned glance. “Dr. Spencer–”
“It’s just Sutton,” she cut in, shaking her head and returning the smile.
The young woman’s smile warmed slightly as she nodded. “Right, yes. Apologies, I recall from our conference.Sutton, it’s great good to see you. Thank you so much for joining us this afternoon.”
She glanced at Lucy, that concern etching onto her face once more. “I’m about to start preparing for your presentation. Um, I believe you were scheduled for today as well as Dr. Bilson?”
Sutton could very easily tell from the hesitation in her tone that Izzie was connecting the dots. Sutton was positive that Lucy disclosed a lot about the custody arrangement, from her point of view, to her teacher, not to mention the times Layla had cancelled on her. Lucy was a sharer, especially with the adults in her trust tree, which Sutton loved.
Still, she felt another wave of irritation roll over her despite her best efforts. Because,of course, Layla hadn’t taken a minute to call Lucy’s school and give the memo that she’d be unable to make it. Of course that responsibility fell to Sutton, despite the fact that they had long been divorced and lived separate lives, only kept together by their care and co-parenting of this little girl.
She gamely kept her smile affixed, even though she could feel it dim as Lucy picked her head up and beat her to the delivery. “My mom can’t come. She’s in surgery.”
Her daughter’s bottom lip poked out in a sad pout as she stated the words with muted emotion.
Miss Izzie nodded slowly at the confirmation, looking unsurprised. “Ah. Okay.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call ahead to inform you earlier,” Sutton couldn’t help but apologize. Even if it wasn’t her responsibility, technically, she stillfeltresponsible. “I?—”
She cut herself off as Lucy’s posture shot straight up, nearly dislodging herself from her mother’s hold. Her entire demeanor changed as she smiled brightly and shouted, “Charlotte!”
Confused, Sutton turned to face the direction in which her daughter was exuberantly waving.
Shock nearly bowled her over. Lucy wasnotseeing things or shouting out names at random.
Strutting smartly down the hallway as if she owned the place, with her own visitor badge, was reallyCharlotte.
“Senator Thompson!” Miss Izzie’s eyes went wide, eyebrows flying up high on her forehead as her cheeks turned bright red.