Then, the kids began to stream out. Theo scanned the group for Jack’s chocolate-brown hair, and after a few minutes, he emerged, side by side with Sam.
“Mom!” Jack hurried over, beaming. “I had the best day ever!”
“That’s great!” Nina smiled at him.
“Hi, Mrs. Thompson,” Sam said politely.
“Hi, Sam. Thanks for showing Theo around.”
“Thereyou are!”
Theo turned towards the voice, hope soaring as Charles Ackley approached. For a split second, Theo thought Charles was talking tohim,but then he realized he was talking to Sam.
“Hi, Dad!” Sam hugged Charles’s leg. “I made a new friend. This is Jack.”
“Nice to meet you, Jack,” Charles said.
“Nice to meet you,” Jack replied politely. Charles turned to Theo and Nina and introduced himself.
“I’m Charles Ackley, Sam’s father.” He held out a hand, which Theo took.
“I’m Theo, and this is Nina. Jack’s parents.”
“Well, lovely to meet you. Have a nice day, and I’m sure I’ll see you around.” Charles took Sam’s hand, and the pair went off towards a large car, picking up two other kids on the way.
“I thinkIjust had the best day ever, too,” Theo joked to Jack. Nina nudged him with her shoulder.
“That’s him, huh?”
“That’s right.” Theo watched Charles disappear into the car with his kids and smiled. Next time, he’d strike up a longer conversation. For now, though, he bent down to Jack’s level.
“Now, tell me all about the best day ever.”
“Well,” Jack began enthusiastically — and he didn’t stop talking all the way home.
CHAPTER 10
NINA
Nina changed her outfit three times.
She told herself over and over that it didn’t matter what she wore, but she couldn’t help wanting to look nice and fit in with the other Holyoke Academy moms. In the end, she settled on a pair of slacks and a nice blouse. She did her hair and makeup, too. The woman in the mirror didn’t exactly look like a wealthy private-school mother, but she didn’t look like a stressed single mother with too much work and too little money, either.
Downstairs, Theo and Jack were waiting to go. Theo wore slacks and a button-down, and Jack was in his nicest collared shirt and cleanest shoes. Though Nina suspected they wouldn’t stay clean for long.
“You look nice, Mom,” Jack said.
“Thanks, buddy.” She ruffled his hair, and Jack frowned.
“Hey!” He tried to arrange his hair again; it was so adorable that Nina had to hide her smile.
They all got in the car and drove to the brunch, which was being held at the school. She’d expected that meant it would be a relatively relaxed affair, but when they arrived, her jaw dropped. The play area at the back of the school had been transformed. Tables with white cloths waited, filled with food, and there were bouncy houses and inflatable slides for the kids. About twenty families were there, most of them sitting and eating or milling around in small groups.
Theo led them to a table, and they sat. Nina barely tasted the delicious food — she was so busy trying to look like she belonged. Once they’d eaten, Jack ran off to play, and Theo smiled at Nina before heading off to hunt down Charles. Nina sat alone at the table, her nerves building. She should try to make friends too, probably, but she wasn’t sure how to talk to these people. They had nothing in common.
Theo seemed to instantly find Charles, in a group of dads on the far side of the playground. They were all sipping drinks and laughing within moments. Nina watched him, her heart heavy. Of course, the whole point of this arrangement was for Theo to be able to make connections, but part of her still wished he’d stayed with her.
That was silly, though.
