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“That long?”

“Yeah. Normally, I try to be a lot quicker, but the universe seems to be against this one. I’ll see if I can make it go faster.”

“No need. I can make things work for three months.”

“Really? I thought you’d want to get back into your home sooner rather than later.”

I didn’t blame him for his confusion. A few months ago, that was exactly what I would’ve wanted. But things had changed ever since returning to Strawberry Springs.

Three months might completely decimate the plans for their school.

Three months meant that I had to pay rent at the new place for that long. But I wasn’t angry. In fact, I was relieved.

“I have somewhere else that I’m okay with being for now.”

The school Alice picked out was fancier than even I expected. She worked for me, so I paid her salary, and I paid well.

But this seemed more in my budget, not hers.

I remembered the hoops she’d jumped through to get them into the school. It hardened my resolve to make sure I did everything I could to get them here.

Director Smith’s office was almost as nice as mine. I sat across from a man with a massive mahogany desk.

“It’s great to see you in person.” He shook my hand firmly. “What made you interested in our school?”

“The mother of my daughters got them in, actually. She unfortunately passed away about three months ago, so I’m here making sure that I honor what she wanted.”

“That’s very sweet. I think I remember her application. She had a handwritten note on how routine would be so good for her daughters.”

“It would be. They’re a challenge, but she was sure you could help.”

“We’ve dealt with plenty of challenges. When the admin team accepted her application, we had no idea you were their father.”

I knew my name carried some weight, mostly with software engineering.

“It’s a complicated situation. She wanted to raise them on her own, but now that she’s gone, I’ve stepped in.”

“We would love to work with you. And I think your daughters would be a good fit here. When do you think you’ll be back full-time?”

“Three months.”

Director Smith blew out a breath. “That’s a lot of time to be behind on schoolwork.”

“It is. The timing hasn’t been great, but I’m staying near some family out in Tennessee, and it’s helping them for now.”

“I would suggest that you find a hotel here. Then you can enroll them no problem.”

“We tried a hotel for a while, actually. When I say they’re wild, I’m not kidding. They destroyed a few rooms before I finally got smart enough to go be with family.”

“Interesting. They definitely need our routine then.” Director Smith’s lips pursed. “But three months. They might be too behind even for us.”

“I know my request is unconventional. There’s just no way my apartment will be done before the three months. And they need a space they know if they are to do well here.”

“Kids are very tricky.” Director Smith nodded as if he understood. “Especially ones with strong personalities. It seems that you have their best interests at heart. I’ll think about it and let you know via email if I approve or not.”

My jaw tightened. He’d wanted me to come all the way out here, and he wouldn’t give me an answer in person? I felt like I was in limbo. I needed an answer.

“I understand,” I lied. “How long will it take you to make a decision?”