“How’s the patient?” he asked.
“I’m good.”
“Sorry it took so long. Lupe’s was packed. Did Leigh stop by?”
“She did.”
Gwen didn’t want to bother trying to recount how much the visit meant to her. Jeff wouldn’t get it, and maybe that was fine. Leigh got it.
“She seems like a good friend,” he said.
He took out Gwen’s burrito, placed it on the tray, and swiveled the tray in front of Gwen. She was suddenly starving and knew she would enjoy every bite.
“She is,” Gwen said. “She really is.”
Chapter 18
Angeni Luna
Now, more than ever, be grateful for your commitment to keeping your babies close.
Angeni cradled Freya against her naked chest with one hand, her other hand holding her phone behind Freya’s head, her eyes glued to the screen. There had been another school shooting, this one in a suburb outside Cincinnati. A young man had taken an AK-47 into a public elementary school, driven by rage over a breakup with a woman who taught second grade there. He’d opened fire in her classroom, killing six children before killing her and then himself. It was horrific.
Angeni could not stop thinking of those six children, could not stop scrolling the news for information about them. The media began releasing their names and school photos—the boys in their collared shirts, the girls in ruffly dresses. Madison, Carter, Jocelyn, Emma, Jacob, Miguel.
Her Instagram post was a response to this tragedy. In the caption, she wrote:
My heart aches. Events like this one remind me why it’s so important for us to revisit our social norms. Ifeel awful for the mothers who have no choice but to send their children to schools that have become battlegrounds. We must all have the right to be with our children, teaching them within the safe walls of our homes
Most of the commenters applauded her words:
Homeschool FTW. I cannot imagine sending my children out into this world we live in. I don’t judge parents who do, I just don’t understand how they can. How are these parents of these poor six children going to live with themselves now?
These shootings need to stop. Until they do, I’m homeschooling. It’s not always easy, but at least I know my kids are safe.
I’m so lucky to be able to stay home with my kids. Feel so sad for moms who have to go to work and send their kids to school. I can’t imagine the daily worry
But there were a few of the usual haters:
R u fucking serious right now? It’s not the schools that are the problem, it’s the guns. Wow. Unfollow.
Ummm, hi, some women want to work. And some kids want to go to a regular school and spend time playing with kids instead of just interacting with people at their weird commune
This is a really strange post. Somehow, you’ve found a way to shame working mothers in the midst of a national tragedy. Fascinating.
Shaming mothers? That wasn’t what she was doing. She was speaking out for the safety of children. Why weren’t more people up in arms about what was best for the children? This was what was wrong with society. If more people prioritized children and the nurturing they needed on a daily basis, so many problems would be solved. There would be no more of these shootings, for one thing.
The account handle for the last comment was @nurture.mother.official, a clear copycat account. Angeni tapped over to view the page. There were only a few posts so far, and they all looked exactly like the posts on her own page—same background, same text font. But the content of the page wasn’t copying Angeni; in fact, it seemed to be opposing her.
You are not a bad mother if you want time to yourself. You are a human being and your needs matter, too.
Fed is best. Feed your child in a way that supports your happiness too. Happy mom, happy baby.
Angeni felt attacked. It was just so blatant. Was this even legal?
“Erik!” she called.
Things still felt off with Erik. She’d told him that morning that they should have their long-postponed State of the Union chat after dinner. She’d said it could be followed by “other things,” and when she’dwaggled her eyebrows suggestively, he’d smiled and said, “I’m definitely in.” She was trying.
