into Daddy’s lap. Mom practically had hearts floating over her head as she cradled her mug, watching Daddy rock me to sleep. It was a bit odd, but it wasn’t like he’d pulled out my bottle or changed me into a diaper. I loved my parents, but I couldn’t wait for them to go home so we could get back to our normal lives.
I listened to Daddy talk about his students and the end of the school year. Mom asked him for his opinion on some initiatives she was involved with back home for underserved students. I smiled as I drifted off to sleep, finally believing that everything was going to be just fine. There were no more secrets and my parents seemed to love my Daddy almost as much as I did.
This was the life.
18
Theron
By the time Sam’s parents left the weekend of his birthday, my boy was exhausted. His mom had, understandably, felt the need to make sure he was unharmed even though we hadn’t been anywhere close to the original altercation. Before we’d walked them out to the car, she and I exchanged phone numbers so we could work together on a graduation celebration for him here in Annandale. As she put it, his life was here now, and she wanted him to understand how many people cared about him so that he’d never doubt himself the way he had in the past.
I sort of loved her.
The next month was a flurry of activity with Sam tying up loose ends so he could graduate. Every minute he wasn’t working or in class, he naturally regressed to Sammy, my sweet little boy who needed lots of time playing with his blocks on the floor followed by cuddles and a bottle before bed.
As much as I loved taking care of my little boy, I missed my partner. The good news was he was currently taking his last exam while I was counting down the minutes until I left school early for an urgent personal matter that couldn’t be avoided. I read over the email on my screen again, still not understanding a fucking word of what this parent was complaining about. It had made sense yesterday, I swear, but today, it might as well have been written in Greek.
I grabbed my coffee mug, glaring at the dried-up ring in the bottom. I didn’t remember draining my second—or was it my third? —cup of the day. I might not need another, but that didn’t stop me from pushing away from my desk. On my way through the office, I announced, “I’ll be in the teachers’ lounge if anyone needs me.”
“Another cup, Theron? You know you’re supposed to be cutting back,” my secretary admonished me. I bit back a sharp retort about how she wasn’t my mother. If left to my own devices, I’d have consumed enough coffee to melt the lining of my stomach, which was why I asked my staff to help monitor how much I consumed. It wasn’t in their job descriptions, but after we’d gotten off to a rocky start, we’d grown closer because there was no denying that the changes I’d spearheaded were improving everything from student morale to test scores.
The glare I shot her way must have done the trick because she held up her hands in surrender. “I know, I know. You’re a big boy and don’t need anyone telling you what to do.”
And fuck if that didn’t make me feel like a bag of dicks. I retreated into my office and swapped my coffee mug for the water bottle. I fucking hated drinking water.
And yet you always make Sammy drink his before he can have juice. Fuck that nagging voice in the back of my head.
It was another two hours and six minutes before the text I’d been waiting for came through.
I’m officially done with college.
I smiled, imagining relief my boy must feel. I closed my laptop and stuffed it into the bag I’d already packed with everything I’d need for the rest of the week. I’d probably have my ass in a sling, but I never used my vacation days. They could deal without me sitting behind my desk for a few days.
I’m proud of you, baby.
“Mandy, I have an urgent family matter to attend to,” I said when I stopped by the head secretary’s desk. “If anything pressing comes up, call me. Otherwise, the assistant principals are more than capable of taking care of the rest.”
“Is everything okay?” I should have