Page 64 of Playing With Forever

I remained frozen when Lindy smiled.

“Love you, too, Mamalious. See you at home.” With a wave, she sauntered out of my office like she’d told me she loved me every day since the day she could form words and she hadn’t just rocked. My. World.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to feel the fullness of the beauty Lindy gave me before my phone rang again, informing me that the sink in the bathroom near the main had flooded.

After that, I got a call from a parent informing me her child—who was at the center yesterday—had tested positive for strep—which necessitated a center-wide email.

One thing after another.

The only good part of how busy my day was that before I knew it, Anita was knocking on my doorjamb to tell me the center was empty and it was time to go home.

The bad part was I’d lost track of time, so I hadn’t texted Evan I was almost done.

Crap.

“Did Phil—” I stopped and shook my head. “I forgot he left early.”

“If you were going to ask if Phil took out the trash, I did it. All the doors are locked except the front.”

“Perfect. Thank you so much, Anita.”

“No problem. Would you like me to wait and walk out with you?”

“No, please go home. Evan’s coming to get me, so I won’t be walking out alone.”

I picked up my phone off my desk and opened my text thread.

“Are you sure? I can wait.”

“We live fifteen minutes away, and this time of night there’ll be no traffic.” I waved off her concern. “Plus, I have plenty of emails to keep me occupied until Evan gets here.”

I finished my text and set my phone back down on my desk.

“If you’re sure, I’m going. There’s a bubble bath calling my name.”

God, that sounded wonderful.

“It certainly has been one of those days.”

My phone chimed with a text from Evan.

I tapped my screen and sighed in relief.

“He’s on his way.”

I followed Anita down the hall when my phone ringing echoed through reception.

“Go. Answer the call.”

“I’ll watch you get to your car.”

Anita pointed to the brightly lit parking lot. “Phil’s got more cameras out there than a bank. And I’m right there in the first spot. Go answer your phone.”

Anita walked through the doors, and I waited until she was safely in her car, then I rushed back into my office. By the time I made it back, the phone had stopped ringing, but the voicemail was from another parent reporting another case of strep.

I needed a vacation.

A new text alert caught my attention.