1
BRIELLE
Thinking about my kids was the only way to keep the pain away. But my fucking God, they did their best to break through.
“Miss Lancaster! Look!”
I turned at the sound of my name. “Way to go, Johnny! Just be careful up there, all right?”
He gave me a thumbs up. “I will!”
I cupped my hands over my mouth. “Both hands on the jungle gym!”
“Miss Lancaster?” someone asked as they tugged at my dress.
I peeked down and found little Miss Lindsey standing next to me. So, I crouched down to her eye level.
“Hey there, pretty girl,” I said with a soft smile, “what’s up?”
She tugged at one of the curls that I had painstakingly placed in my hair and giggled as it bounced. “Sproingy.”
I touched her nose softly with my finger. “I curled my hair just for you today, cutiepie.”
I had to admit, curling my hair wasn’t something that I did often. My pin straight bangs matched the pin straight demeanor of the rest of my jet-black hair, and sometimes the temporary curls weren’t worth the pain I went through in order to place them. But oh, the curiosity of the kids in my classroom at work made it worth the effort. A pang of pain rushed through my side, and I hissed as I snapped back up. “Johnny?”
“Yeah, Miss Lancaster!?”
“You be careful up in that tree now. I don’t want you getting hurt!”
“Again.”
My body grew weak as I sank to the ground, feeling the grass cushion my knees.
“Miss Lancaster!?” Johnny exclaimed.
I held my hand up as I struggled to catch my breath. “I’m okay. I’m good. Just… a bit hot.”
“Again.”
“Are you sure?”
“Did I fucking stutter? Again.”
My eyelids grew heavy, as if they were being weighed down with lead as yet another pang of agony shot through my ribcage. I had to hold on. I had to hold onto my kids. Hold onto their smiles, laughter, and joy.
It was the only way I knew I’d stay alive.
“Hey, kids?” I called out as I shook my head.
I wanted to hold onto my little ones for as long as I could.
“Miss Lancaster, look!”
“Get the spotlight.”
“Miss Lancaster! Watch!”
“Are you sure this is her?”
