Before I knew it Ty was parking in front of the preschool and it was time for me to pull up my big girl panties and get out of the car.
“It’s okay sweetheart, I’m here.” I took three deep breaths, gripped the door handle and pushed it open. Ty was out of the car and coming round to my side before I even put my feet on the floor.
“Hey,” I smiled.
“Hey,” he grinned back and held his hand out. I took it and let him lead me inside while searching the parking lot for any signs of Max. All that I could see were relatively normal people going about their days, pushing carts to their cars and ducking in and out of the shops.
Eli did a double take when he came through the security door and saw us standin
g there.
“Mama! You came!” he ran at me full force, I bent slightly at the knees and braced myself for his weight.
“Umph.” Wrapping my arms around him I picked him up as best as I could. His legs wrapped around me as he squeezed me with all his might.
“Hey sweetie” I croaked. My eyes burned with unshed tears, I didn’t want him to see me cry so I buried my face in his neck and breathed him in.
Ty winked when I looked up at him and tilted his head at the door to signal that it was time to go.
“So what did you do today?” I asked putting him down and held my hand out for him.
“Painted,” he shrugged and gave Ty a high five as we walked through the door.
“Hey lil bud,” he clicked the fob to open the car.
“So” Ty said when we were all in the car and on the way back to the compound.
“So?” I turned to him.
“Wasn’t so bad, huh?”
“Yeah,” I leaned my back against the headrest. “I guess it wasn’t”.
“So maybe you could phone Miss Maggie now?”
I blinked. After the day I had, I forgot that I was meant to invite Miss Maggie round for a dinner.
“I suppose,” I nodded and sat up “When shall I say for?”
“Friday?” Ty shrugged.
“Okay,” I nodded “I’ll do it when we get back to the office.” I said twisting my hands in my lap.
“Mama?”
“Yes sweetie?” I turned in my seat and looked at Eli glad that he could distract me from my wondering thoughts.
“Miss Maggie coming here?” he frowned.
“Hopefully” I nodded.
Pursing his lips he turned his head and looked out of the window.
“What’s the matter sweetie?” I shifted closer to him.
“How will she get here?”
“Well…err…” I flicked my eyes to Ty who had just pulled up at the gates.