I release a pent-up sigh.What the hell did I just agree to?
Five weeks to write three songs, that’s what.
I’m pushing the twenty-miles-an-hour speed limit by ten over as I close in on the parent drop-off lane. Other than a crossing guard who’s chatting with a guy in a suit, there’s only one other car in front of me.
At least I’m not the only late parent. I slam into park behind it and shove against the door. Quinn is fisting her car seat straps by the time I get to the back.
“Come on, Quinn. We’re late.” I try to pry her fingers away, but she clenches on even tighter, her knuckles turning white.
“No!” she screams, slapping at my hands.
I try to press the button as she boxes at my arms. “Please, Quinn,” I beg.
She’s kicking her legs now. There are so many flailing limbs I can no longer get to the buckle on her chest.
“Quinn!” I pin her hands down. “We’ve got to go!”
She slackens enough that I can quickly release the chest buckle and feed her arms through the loose straps. We’re making a total scene at this point as I sling her backpack over my shoulder and lift her by the underarms. She hangs like a limp noodle over my shoulder.
I’m two seconds away from having a total breakdown like the toddler in my arms. Nothing I’m doing is working. I need a different approach. I can’t take her in like this, or she’ll disrupt the entire school. So, I stop and kneel, setting her on my bent knee.
“It’s going to be okay. We don’t have to go in, okay?” I say in hushing tones. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve used the wordokay. I don’t know what I’m even promising. Ineedher togo to school today. How people have more than one of these infuriating creatures is beyond me.
“Need any help? I’m great with children.”
When I look up, a head is blocking the sun. Harsh shadows conceal most of his face. Based on his suit, it’s the same guy I saw talking to the crossing guard.
I’m a little busy here, I want to tell him. “No, I’m good, thanks,” I say instead.
I drop my attention back to Quinn. She’s calmed down now that she’s nestled against my neck. I gather her in my arms and stand.
“Listen, the school puts on a play the third Saturday in May. I was wondering if you’d be willing to help with the musical production part, being Rhett Dawson and all?”
He taps my shoulder as if I’m in on his joke. It’s my least favorite part about being home. People feel like they can ask for favors here. Pretend they know me personally when they don’t.
What is he… the drama teacher? Do they even have those in preschool? Well, I guess technically they also have a grade school. They very well could put on some type of play. I still feel the need to clarify with this guy that my tie to this institution is under the age of five.
“My daughter’s in the preschool.”
“It’s open to all age groups. You’d be a big asset to the program.”
By asset he meansyou’ll draw in a crowd that’ll help fund this private school. It’s non-profit, but I know they offer tuition assistance to people who can’t afford to pay to come here. If I wasn’t late right now, I’d consider it for that reason alone.
“I really gotta get my daughter to class,” I say.
“Just think about it.”
I was too flustered with Quinn when he first approached to ask for this guy’s name. Now it feels too late. I say, “Sure,” just to get him off my back, and then I sprint. Ten yards ahead of me I run into the owner of the other car.
“Well, if it isn’t the runaway nanny,” I say to Summer, a bit out of breath.
It would be a lie if I didn’t admit to the fact that I spent all last night wondering what I said that made her abandon Quinn’s party without a goodbye. If I somehow crossed a boundary or made her feel uncomfortable when all I was trying to do was to figure out her angle. The hallway was the best place I could come up with that was out of Caroline’s earshot.
I should have been floored to see her at my front door, but I wasn’t anything but grateful. Appreciative of the fact that she did exactly what I hoped she would: she got my mother-in-law off my back for the afternoon. Because of Summer, Caroline spent the rest of the day focused on Quinn, under the assumption that her time with her granddaughter would soon be limited.
“I thought you didn’t need a nanny?” Summer teases.
Says the woman who made up the fake title. Was I supposed to agree to it? And what kind of guy would let their beautiful wife nanny for a single man’s kid? She’s still wearing the ring.
