Page 26 of Before We Break

“Yeah. You’re probably right. Maybe I should talk to Janet about cutting back my hours.”

Emmy glances up from her coloring sheet, eyes widening when she sees Callie. “Auntie Kiki! You’re here!”

“I’m here,” Callie says. “Ready to go?”

“Uh huh.” She shoves the crayons back into the box and hops off her chair. “Bye, Auggie.”

Auggie deflates, and in a flat tone, he says, “Bye.”

“I’ll call you later.” Callie scribbles her name on the sign-out sheet before leading Emmy to the row of lockers where her backpack is stored, and then it’s just Auggie and me.

“Ok, Super Auggie. I have a really important mission for you.”

He perks up.

“Can you use your big superhero muscles and help me put all of the chairs on top of the tables?”

“Ok!”

Once the room is reset and ready for the janitorial staff to take over, I turn off the lights and lead Auggie out to his locker. “Miss Clio?”

“Yeah?”

“Where’s Aunt Emma?”

“Oh, she had a super important mission of her own, so she asked me to take you home today. Is that alright?”

“Uh huh.” He slings his backpack over one shoulder, struggling to find the other strap. I help him slide it on and hold out my hand.

“Ready?”

He nods and slips his tiny hand into mine.

My car is the only one left in the employee lot. I keep a car seat in the back for the rare occasion when I have to take Emmy home, so I help Auggie into it and secure his buckle.

“All set?”

After he gives me the world’s cutest thumbs up, I shut the door and take my place behind the wheel. As I turn the key in the ignition, my hype girl playlist blares through the speakers. I scramble to turn it down, but it’s too late. Auggie’s already removing his implants.

“Sorry,” I sign, grimacing.

He smiles lazily and rests his head against the side of his car seat.

“I feel you, buddy. I get tired after a long day at school, too.”

I turn back to the front and pull out my phone to text Noah.

Me: I have Auggie. Running by BCHS to pick up Lexi then we’ll head home.

Asshole Landlord: Thumbs up emoji.

Dickhead.

Tucking the phone away, I put the car in drive and navigate the now-familiar streets of downtown Willow Valley. I’ll never tire of how beautiful it is here. Everybody knows everybody, and gossip travels at the speed of light, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Nowhere will ever feel like home again, not without Penny, but Willow Valley comes close.

I turn left at the exit sign toward the county line where Bramble County High School sits between Willow Valley and Starling Falls, following the cliffs until we’re surrounded by trees on both sides. Lexi should be getting out of her One Act after-school program any minute.

Sure enough, as I pull into the parking lot behind a long line of cars, Lexi comes out of the massive double doors, waving goodbye to a group of friends. She jogs to the car and leans into the open window.