over her lips. “Other students are still working in their classrooms, and we don’t want to distract them.”
They gathered near the door in as orderly a fashion as could be expected from a group of excited kindergarteners, and she rewarded them with a smile before leading them into the hallway. Once she got them all seated near the back of the audience, Principal Allen hustled over, tie flapping over the shoulder of his suit jacket.
“Thanks again, Miss St. George. I’ll stay and watch them for you while you’re backstage.” Glancing over the little group, he gave them a somber warning look. “This is a treat for you, and I expect you to be on your best behavior.”
His announcement was met with a chorus of muted “yes, sirs,” and Lily had to smother a grin. After working as a teacher’s aide in larger city schools, she was still getting used to the humble, old-fashioned manners these children’s parents had obviously drummed into their heads. That innate respect for authority had certainly made her first solo teaching job easier, she thought as she hustled around the stage and up the steps that led into the wings.
Back here, everything was chaos. The carrot’s frothy green cap had somehow landed on the head of a plump tomato, and the corn’s costume had twisted sideways so that only half of her face was visible.
The two moms couldn’t have looked more different if they’d tried. One looked as if she was ready to pull out every last strand of her disheveled hair. The other calmly moved from child to child, fixing costumes and offering an encouraging smile to each actor before moving on. Given a choice, Lily opted to approach the composed, efficient mother first.
“The cavalry’s here,” she said, putting out her hand. “Lily St. George.”
“Erin Kinley. I’ve heard a lot about you the past couple of weeks,” she added with a mischievous grin. “From Abby and Mom, of course. Mike hasn’t said a word.”
How flattering. Then again, the trainer’s reticence wasn’t a topic she had time to ponder right now, so she moved past it. “How can I help?”
“These guys are done.” Erin pointed to a bundle of veggies and fruits to her right. “If you get them lined up by size, I’ll send you more when they’re ready. Are you all set, Parker?”
A slender boy with puppy-dog brown eyes nodded somberly, the cluster of pea pods on his cap bobbing with the motion. “Yes, ma’am.”
Concern passed over Erin’s face, but she quickly drowned it in a smile. “That’s my boy. You can help Miss St. George.”
Their overly polite exchange struck Lily as odd, but she realized it was not only none of her business, she was too busy for mysteries right now.
“Sounds good. This way, crops.” Holding out her arm, she motioned for Parker and the others to follow her from the crowded dressing area.
Five hectic minutes later, the woman at the piano started playing a chipper march, and the show was under way. Lily wasn’t sure if she was supposed to go into the audience or hang back to corral the actors as they left the stage. Since Erin was the only adult not scurrying around or feeding the kids lines, Lily approached her and whispered her name.
“Would you like me to stick around?”
“No, we’re good. Thanks for being so great with Parker. I guess you noticed he has a tough time dealing with grown-ups.”
Erin paused but didn’t turn away, and Lily got the feeling there was more she wanted to say. Waiting patiently, Lily kept her expression as open as possible.
Finally, Erin said, “He’s been in the foster system for two years now. When I first met him six months ago, he couldn’t even look at me without flinching. Now that I’m his foster mom, we’re making some progress.”
Stunned by the revelation, Lily frowned. “What kind of monster could even think of hurting that wonderful little boy?”
“Someone who’d better pray they never meet up with me, that’s for sure.”
Fury
They gathered near the door in as orderly a fashion as could be expected from a group of excited kindergarteners, and she rewarded them with a smile before leading them into the hallway. Once she got them all seated near the back of the audience, Principal Allen hustled over, tie flapping over the shoulder of his suit jacket.
“Thanks again, Miss St. George. I’ll stay and watch them for you while you’re backstage.” Glancing over the little group, he gave them a somber warning look. “This is a treat for you, and I expect you to be on your best behavior.”
His announcement was met with a chorus of muted “yes, sirs,” and Lily had to smother a grin. After working as a teacher’s aide in larger city schools, she was still getting used to the humble, old-fashioned manners these children’s parents had obviously drummed into their heads. That innate respect for authority had certainly made her first solo teaching job easier, she thought as she hustled around the stage and up the steps that led into the wings.
Back here, everything was chaos. The carrot’s frothy green cap had somehow landed on the head of a plump tomato, and the corn’s costume had twisted sideways so that only half of her face was visible.
The two moms couldn’t have looked more different if they’d tried. One looked as if she was ready to pull out every last strand of her disheveled hair. The other calmly moved from child to child, fixing costumes and offering an encouraging smile to each actor before moving on. Given a choice, Lily opted to approach the composed, efficient mother first.
“The cavalry’s here,” she said, putting out her hand. “Lily St. George.”
“Erin Kinley. I’ve heard a lot about you the past couple of weeks,” she added with a mischievous grin. “From Abby and Mom, of course. Mike hasn’t said a word.”
How flattering. Then again, the trainer’s reticence wasn’t a topic she had time to ponder right now, so she moved past it. “How can I help?”
“These guys are done.” Erin pointed to a bundle of veggies and fruits to her right. “If you get them lined up by size, I’ll send you more when they’re ready. Are you all set, Parker?”
A slender boy with puppy-dog brown eyes nodded somberly, the cluster of pea pods on his cap bobbing with the motion. “Yes, ma’am.”
Concern passed over Erin’s face, but she quickly drowned it in a smile. “That’s my boy. You can help Miss St. George.”
Their overly polite exchange struck Lily as odd, but she realized it was not only none of her business, she was too busy for mysteries right now.
“Sounds good. This way, crops.” Holding out her arm, she motioned for Parker and the others to follow her from the crowded dressing area.
Five hectic minutes later, the woman at the piano started playing a chipper march, and the show was under way. Lily wasn’t sure if she was supposed to go into the audience or hang back to corral the actors as they left the stage. Since Erin was the only adult not scurrying around or feeding the kids lines, Lily approached her and whispered her name.
“Would you like me to stick around?”
“No, we’re good. Thanks for being so great with Parker. I guess you noticed he has a tough time dealing with grown-ups.”
Erin paused but didn’t turn away, and Lily got the feeling there was more she wanted to say. Waiting patiently, Lily kept her expression as open as possible.
Finally, Erin said, “He’s been in the foster system for two years now. When I first met him six months ago, he couldn’t even look at me without flinching. Now that I’m his foster mom, we’re making some progress.”
Stunned by the revelation, Lily frowned. “What kind of monster could even think of hurting that wonderful little boy?”
“Someone who’d better pray they never meet up with me, that’s for sure.”
Fury
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