But finding her place in their world beyond those four walls mattered more to her than anything right now.
“Holly, look at our snowflakes!” Teddy tugged at her hand, pointing toward the school windows where paper cutouts glittered in the morning light.
“They’re beautiful,” she managed, smiling down at him as they neared the building. How she loved these little people, who didn’t mind what she wore.
But her anxiety kicked up a notch as they approached the school building. Parents clustered near the entrance, their conversations creating a gentle hum that seemed to pause as Holly approached with Daniel and the children. She felt their eyes tracking her, some curious, others warmly welcoming, a few with raised eyebrows. Her borrowed clothes might as well have been a flashing neon sign announcing her as an outsider, someone who didn’t belong.
She hunched her shoulders slightly, as if making herself smaller might somehow make her less noticeable.
“Morning, Daniel!” A woman with a bright yellow scarf waved. “How did you survive the storm?”
“We did okay, Sarah,” Daniel replied. “No power cuts. No trees down. We amused ourselves with board games and holiday movies.”
“And a blanket fort,” Maisie piped up. “Which Holly helped make.”
“Holly.” Sarah raised her eyebrow as she looked Holly up and down. But not in a judgmental way. But she sure was curious.
“She’s a princess,” Teddy replied matter-of-factly. “We rescued her from the storm.”
“Did you indeed?” The woman cast a strange look at Daniel, but didn’t push the subject further.
“Dad, we’re gonna be late!” Teddy bounced on his toes, pointing toward the school doors where a teacher stood welcoming students.
“Right, let’s get moving.” Daniel placed a gentle hand on Holly’s lower back, guiding her forward.
The contact, though brief, sent warmth spreading up her spine. She’d grown strangely accustomed to these small touches over the past days—his hand steadying her elbow, his fingers brushing hers as they passed coffee mugs, the solid warmth of his shoulder beside hers on the sofa.
Inside, the school hallway exploded with Christmas cheer. Garlands of tinsel framed classroom doorways. Construction paper, candy canes, and gingerbread men lined the walls. A small tree near the office sparkled with handmade ornaments, each bearing a child’s name in wobbly letters.
It was beautiful, festive, and utterly overwhelming. Holly felt painfully out of place among the other parents in their proper winter boots and coordinated scarves, with their easy familiarity with the teachers and each other.
“Mrs. Brooks!” A young teacher with a holiday sweater approached them, then paused.
“Oh, I’m not…” Holly shook her head as color flooded her cheeks.
“Oh, I’m sorry—I just assumed...” The teacher shrugged apologetically.
“This is Holly,” Daniel said smoothly. “She’s staying with us for a while.”
The assumption sent a jolt through Holly’s system—the teacher had thought she was Daniel’s wife, the children’s mother. And the sudden thought hit her. That was what she wanted more than anything in the world.
“Nice to meet you,” Holly managed, painfully aware of how the sweatpants bunched around her ankles. Not a great first impression.
“Holly’s going to help me decorate the cookies for the class Christmas party,” Maisie announced proudly, slipping her hand into Holly’s.
“I can’t wait to see them!” The teacher beamed. “And taste them. Now come on, let’s get to class.”
After hugs and goodbyes, Holly and Daniel made their way back through the hallways. She could feel his attention on her even without looking. She loved the way he slowed his pace to match hers, how he angled his body slightly to shield her from the busiest parts of the hallway.
“You okay?” he asked quietly as they stepped back into the bright winter morning.
“Fine,” Holly said automatically, then caught herself. “Actually, I’m a little...”
“Overwhelmed?” Daniel supplied, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.
Holly nodded, relieved at being understood without having to explain.
“You’re doing great, you know,” he said, his voice so sincere it made her throat tighten. “The kids adore you.”
