Lucy clings to Lenzin’s suit jacket for half a second, then straightens.
“I’m three,” she announces, holding up three fingers,
“That’s amazing,” the woman says seriously. “We have a locker just for you.”
She smiles at me, and I smile back as Lenzin moves us forward, and I look back to make sure Anna is still with us.
We turn the corner, and we’re in the ‘locker room’.
It’s adorable, and clean,so clean. Small cubbies labeled with names and benches in front of them.
“It’s a Lucy-sized version of the Bears locker room,” Lenzin tells her.
One staff member opens a cubby, and the one with her name is stamped into a plate.
“Here’s yours.”
Lucy gasps and reaches for her name, Lenzin lifts her up, and she runs her fingers over the letters, “L-U-C-Y.”
“Good job.” I laugh.
“Looks like someone is ready for school,” the younger of the two women says. “Do you want to see some more?”
“Yes!” She grins.
I clear my throat as we stand in the middle of the room, and Lenzin looks at me.
“How about you let her check it out.” He cocks his head to the side in question.
Anna laughs, “Let the little one roam.”
“Yeah, Papi, let me roam.” Lucy squirms, and he loosens his hold and sets her on her very capable feet.
“You okay?” I ask as she follows the teachers.
“I thought she was nervous.” He defends.
I lean into him, “She’s going to love it here.”
He simply nods as he watches her.
She runs her hand over the wooden tables arranged in pods, moves toward the shelves lined with labeled bins, and then heads back toward the reading corner with soft rugs and a tiny couch. The space is incredible. There are art easels near the windows, a sensory table, and a small STEM station with oversized building blocks and gears.
“Can you tell us what colors these are?” One of the teachers asks gently.
Lucy steps forward. “Red. Blue. Yellow. Green. Purple. Orange. Pink. And that’s turquoise, but sometimes people call it blue.”
“That’s our girl,” he murmurs, hand gripping my hip a little tighter.
I’m surprised to see Scotti standing outside the Fairfax Media box, but at this point, I’m not.
When Anna snickers, I hip check her, and she laughs out loud, and Scotti’s lips twitch briefly.
Lucy looks over at her, “What’s so funny?”
Scotti opens the door, “The ladies are waiting inside, Miss Lucy.”
Sofie stands from her seat as soon as we walk in and smiles at me, big and beautiful and real. “Lucy’s here.”
