He looked up at me, brown eyes swimming, chin trembling. It was almost too much to bear. I chewed the inside of my cheek, wondering if I’d have chosen teaching had I known how often it would bruise my heart.
When we got to Mrs. Wright’s door, it was already open. She smiled warmly and waved us in.
“Hello, Lucas. Come on in.” She patted one of the visitor chairs. “I think I’ve got some cookies in my drawer. Would you like one?”
Lucas shot me a cautious look. I shrugged. “If you don’t think it’ll spoil your dinner.”
He accepted a cookie with tentative fingers and nibbled at the edge. As he swung his legs under the chair, his gaze traveled around the room; certificates on the walls, a vase of tired flowers, a couple of softball trophies gathering dust.
“She’s five minutes away,” Mrs. Wright mouthed to me over Lucas’s head.
I nodded and took the seat beside him, offering a reassuring smile when he glanced up.
“Another?” Mrs. Wright asked, rattling the packet.
He shook his head solemnly. “I’m good, thank you.”
The silence was thickening awkwardly when Ruth Keller practically ran into the room, breathless.
“I’m so sorry, the traffic was awful.” She dropped to her knees in front of Lucas, hugging him tight. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, Mom. I’m good.” A small smile bloomed on his face, and it was obvious that love wasn’t the thing lacking in Lucas’s life.
“Mrs. Keller, please take a seat,” Mrs. Wright said, her tone calm and kind.
Ruth sat down and smoothed Lucas’s hair, her other hand wringing in her lap. “Is this about me being late again?”
“It is,” Mrs. Wright said gently, “but it’s also about a couple of things that happened today.”
Ruth’s gaze sharpened, darting to her son. “You didn’t get into a fight again, did you?”
“No, Momma. I promised I wouldn’t.” His sincerity nearly broke me.
“Lucas.” Mrs. Wright tapped his knee. “Why don’t you go down to the cafeteria? I believe Miss Goody has some mac n’ cheese that needs a brave taste-tester.”
Lucas lit up. “Can I, Mom? It’s my favorite!”
Ruth looked stricken. “I have food at home?—”
“We know,” I said quickly. “But Miss Goody’s very nervous about her recipe. She’ll be grateful for his opinion.”
“Okay, sweetie,” Ruth said with a watery smile. “And use your manners, please.”
He bolted from the room so fast, he nearly left a vapor trail behind him.
Mrs. Wright clapped her hands lightly. “Right. Let’s talk about how we can help you and Lucas.”
“I know I’ve been tardy,” Ruth said, twisting her hands. “My job’s in Montrose, and sometimes the traffic, or my boss keeping me late…”
“We’re not judging,” I said softly. “We just want to help.”
“What happened today?” she asked, her voice cracking.
Mrs. Wright nodded for me to continue.
“He had no lunch money, and he tried to hide in the boys’ bathroom.”
Ruth gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “I thought he had money on his card. That was why I didn’t worry about giving him some lunch.”
