Grant watched Max and Ava stumble through their parts—Max projecting like he was performing for a stadium, Ava so quiet the microphone barely picked up her voice—and felt his chest ache.
Riley should have been here for this.
She should have been sitting beside him, laughing at the kids' antics, whispering commentary in his ear. She should have been taking pictures to send to Hannah later. She should have been here.
But she wasn't.
Because work had come first. Again.
Around him, the audience laughed and clapped. Parents filming on their phones. Grandparents beaming with pride. Couples leaning into each other, sharing the moment.
Grant sat alone with an empty seat beside him and tried to swallow past the lump in his throat.
He kept his phone in his pocket, but he could feel it buzzing. More texts. Another call. Riley trying to reach him, trying to explain, trying to make this okay.
But there was nothing she could say that would change the fact that she wasn't here.
During the finale—all the kids singing "Silent Night" in enthusiastic if not entirely on-key voices—Grant felt his phone buzz again. A long vibration. Another voicemail.
He didn't move to check it.
When the last notes faded and the audience erupted into applause, Grant clapped mechanically. The kids took their bows. Teachers came on stage to thank everyone for coming. Parents started gathering coats and herding children toward the refreshment table in the lobby.
Grant wanted to leave. Wanted to slip out before anyone else could ask him where Riley was or give him those sympathetic looks that made him feel pathetic again.
But he'd promised Max and Ava he'd come. The least he could do was tell them they did a great job.
He found them in the lobby, surrounded by family. Hannah saw him first and waved him over.
"Uncle Grant!" Max launched himself at Grant's legs. "Did you see me? I remembered all my lines!"
"You were amazing. Both of you." Grant ruffled Max's hair, then knelt to Ava level. "You were the best sheep I've ever seen."
Ava giggled, then her face got serious. "Where's Aunt Riley?"
"She had to stay at work, sweetheart. But she's really sorry she missed it."
"Is she still your girlfriend?"
Grant's throat tightened. "Yeah. She is."
"Okay." Ava seemed satisfied with this answer and ran off to show her grandmother her costume.
Hannah touched Grant's arm. "Hey. You okay?"
"Everyone keeps asking me that."
"Because you look like you're about two seconds from either punching something or falling apart."
Grant almost laughed. "Maybe both."
"She didn't mean to miss it. You know that, right?"
"Doesn't really matter if she meant to or not. She still wasn't here."
Hannah's expression softened. "Grant?—"
"I should go. Tell the kids again they were great."
