Page 66 of Teach Me Your Ways

The library smelled like musty books and coffee. The one downside to majoring in history and archeology was not having the benefit of technology. Plenty of resources had been transcribed and put online, but some stuff required good old-fashioned books. Old, dusty tomes that most people couldn’t give a shit about outside the halls of academia.

I balanced the pile and sighed as I made my way up to the desk. The librarian was the typical sort with cat-eye glasses hanging from a chain around her neck. She wore a pink sweater and a black skirt that could have been from the fifties or designed to look like it was from that generation.

I shoved the books across the high desk and pulled out my student ID. She made small talk and I did my best to keep up but I had a million things on my mind.

At home, I settled into the couch with my laptop. Sophie was building a Lego castle at my feet. I tried to focus on the article in front of me, my eyes scanning the same paragraph for what felt like the hundredth time. The words blurred together, my mind refusing to latch onto anything but the sound of Sophie’s voice as she narrated her Lego adventure.

“And then the dragon came and breathed fire!” she exclaimed, her tiny hands waving a red Lego brick through the air. “But the princess wasn’t scared because she had her magic sword!”

I smiled despite myself, glancing down at her. She was completely absorbed in her story, her blue eyes wide with excitement as she moved the Lego figures around. The princess—a mismatched figure with a pink torso and yellow legs—stood bravely in front of the dragon, which was really just a green block with a few spikes stuck on top.

“What happens next?” I asked, unable to resist. I was certain Sophie was going to grow up and either be an author or an actress. She was definitely a creative soul.

My daughter looked at me, her face lighting up. “The princess fights the dragon and saves the castle! And then she gets married to the prince and they live happily ever after.”

“Of course they did,” I said, reaching down to ruffle her hair. “Good job.”

She beamed at me before turning back to her Legos, already starting a new story. I tried to return to my work, but it was impossible. I had a paper due in two days. It was the first one for the semester and I was going to make sure I aced it.

Sophie made what I assumed was a fire-breathing noise. That was who I was doing it all for. For this little girl with eyes full of wonder. I closed my own eyes and refocused. I wouldn’t mess this up for her. Not for a professor. Not for a cock that could make me tremble at the knees.

“My turn,” I said, closing the laptop. “You know what? Let me help with your story.”

I could study tonight after she went to bed. She deserved my full attention. I would figure out how to deal with the cocky professor later. He was not going to get away with sidelining me.

Sophie’s Lego castle was coming together beautifully, complete with a moat made of blue blocks and a drawbridge that actually worked. I was helping her build a tower when the front door swung open, and Mom breezed in, her short hair freshly styled with soft waves that framed her face perfectly. She smelled like salon products—shampoo, hairspray, and that faint chemical tang of dye.

“Granny!” Sophie squealed, abandoning her Legos to run over and hug Mom’s legs. “Your hair looks so pretty!”

Mom laughed, bending down to scoop Sophie into her arms. “Thank you, sweetheart! Do you like it? I told the stylist to make me look fancy.”

“You look like a princess!” Sophie declared, reaching up to touch Mom’s hair.

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Mom said with a wink in my direction. “But I’ll take it.”

I smiled as I watched them, my heart swelling with gratitude. Mom had always been there for me and Sophie. I didn’t know what I’d do without her. She set Sophie down and walked over to the couch, plopping down beside me with a dramatic sigh.

“Long day?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“You have no idea,” she said, leaning back against the cushions. “The salon was packed, and my stylist was running behind. But it was worth it.” She ran a hand through her hair, admiring the bounce of the waves. “What about you? How’s the studying going?”

I glanced at my laptop and cringed. “It’ll be a late night.”

She patted my knee. “It’ll all be worth it in the end.”