A Bride for 100 Days

sixteen: Miss me?

Levi's first day at the Montessori program was a sticky, humid Tuesday. I carried him from the parking lot, looking for which door was the entrance. A man in a goatee finally pointed the way. 

Turned out, he was the office manager and he walked me through checking Levi in to class.

Levi scampered off without even waving bye to me. I could see his point, though. A mess of roly-poly 2 year-olds in a big room full of activities? Rock on. 

Jeb called as I was peering through the window in the hallway. We were getting along again, cordially. 

"How is it?"

"Dude. It's a toddler DisneyWorld. They have slides and bridges in the room."

"Is he having fun?"

"Are you kidding? He's hysterical. All new toys to play with. Oh...he just found some yarn balls. Yeah, he's sticking them up his shirt."

"Send me a picture?"

I hung up and sent a few. Then I headed down to the office to give them the paperwork. The goatee'd guy smiled and waved me into his office.

"I'm Paul Kimber. You're Levi's foster mother?"

"Alice St. Georges. Temporary guardian while Levi's brother adopts him."

"Jeb Scott, right? I met him last Saturday at the open house with Levi." 

Paul glanced at my left hand and then back at my face. I nodded back at him like I didn't know what he was wondering and then handed off the paperwork. He took his time and checked each page from the Court custody papers to Levi's immunization record. "It looks like everything is in order."

"Great," I put my purse over my shoulder and then stopped. "Out of curiosity, what is it like to teach at a Montessori program vs. a traditional public one?"

"Are you a teacher?"

"I just got certified to teach Art."

"Really?" Paul's smile widened into dimples. "Because we need an art leader for the summer programs. Ours just went on Maternity Leave early and we're scrambling." 

"Well," I grinned back at him. "Tell me more."

I started work the following Friday after passing the drug screening and background check. It was a part-time gig but at 25 hours a week, it was a perfect fit for my responsibilities with Levi. 

Plus Jeb got a 10% discount on tuition. 

"Your first day! We need to celebrate," Jeb called me from the airport as he waited to board. "Let's go out tonight. Gayle said she could watch Levi." 

"It's fine," I told him. "Gayle's already got Levi. I'm at Paige's place."

"Oh. Then what about tomorrow? Come on, I owe you."

"Jeb," I sighed, grossed out by the idea of sharing a meal with him and Kyra. 

"Right, it's your day off..."

"No, I was just thinking I don't want to intrude..."

"Kyra's, uh, busy this weekend."

"Really?" Way to sound desperate. 

"But I'm not going to push..."

"Yes." Wait? What? Did I just say that? I did. Oh, God, I did. 

"What?"

"Yeah, sure. What about brunch? There's a kid-friendly place on Abbott Street." 

"I know it. See you there."