Her Family Wish by Betsy St. Amant

Author:Betsy St. Amant
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2012-01-02T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“Abby, are you sure your dad agreed to let you go to the photo shoot tomorrow?” Hannah planted her hands on her hips and gave Abby her best schoolteacher stare—one she’d perfected over the last few weeks by watching Sophia. She didn’t even bother to keep her voice down, as Sophia and the rest of the kids had already left for the afternoon. The last CREATE meeting of the week had ended, and on a highly productive note as the fundraiser magazine progressed nicely.

Hannah had promised to stay with the dawdling Abby and lock up the elective classroom when the girl finally got her belongings together—or rather, if she ever did. If Abby wasn’t fighting with her dad anymore, then why the obvious stalling and lingering in the bathroom at the end of the meeting, then organizing her pencil case and painstakingly throwing away small pieces of paper from her bag?

“Of course he did. I wouldn’t lie.” Abby barely looked up from carefully uncapping and recapping all of her pens.

Hannah tilted her head, studying Abby across the work table laden with rough drafts of the magazine. Working with the kids several times a week, both in Sophia’s art class and twice a week at CREATE, had revealed to Hannah a couple of their individual tells. For instance, if Peter was going along with something he didn’t really like in order to avoid being fussed at by five girls, he licked his lips before reluctantly agreeing. If Lana was struggling with not getting her way, she twisted her hair around her finger in rapid motion.

And when Abby was up to her schemes, she avoided eye contact.

Hannah crossed her arms. “I’m not calling you a liar, but I have a hard time believing he changed his mind so easily.” Especially after the fit Hannah threw. In fact, she’d been surprised Jude hadn’t insisted she leave the school premises immediately after she burst into his office earlier in the week. After he’d handed the flowers to her and stalked out of the room, Hannah had stood in his office, shocked at both herself and Jude, the sweet aroma of roses a stark contradiction to the bad taste of regret filling her mouth.

That was Monday, and she hadn’t seen him since. Was he avoiding her? Of course, if he was, she’d made it easy, slipping into the school via the back door, bypassing the teachers’ lounge and the office complex by taking the long way through the building.

Abby finally zipped her backpack. “I thought the same thing about my dad changing his mind, but trust me, it wasn’t easy.” She shouldered her bag, lifting her ponytail so as not to snag her long hair on the straps. “I had to convince him—and promise not to wear makeup or any borrowed cool clothes.” She rolled her eyes with the practiced angst of a teenager. “But it will be worth it.”

“I agree.” Hannah ushered Abby toward the hall, flipping off the lights and making sure the classroom door locked behind them.

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