“I’m desperate enough to trust this woman who I’m not even supposed to talk to. Desperate enough to leave you right now, during this rare time when we are finally alone and…Maggie-less.”
“I was looking forward to it,” he admitted quietly. “But Nolie is more important than anything.” He drummed his fingers on the table, systematically going through the pros and cons. “What about school?” he asked.
“Well, I think I could talk to her teacher and explain we’re putting her in…a special program in Destin.”
“Tessa Teaches.”
She huffed a laugh. “Something like that. I mean, she’s in second grade, not high school. I can have her back the beginning of May—and I will. Then we can…” She swallowed.
“Face Maggie?” he guessed.
“Take that test.”
His eyes closed on a grunt. They both hated that the school wanted to test Nolie to see if she could move up to the next grade level. They didn’t do that for very many kids, only those with learning disabilities and stubborn parents. If she failed, she could not move up—the decision was taken out of their hands.
“But if Tessa teaches her some techniques and skills and shortcuts for reading and seeing letters differently?” Crista shrugged. “Maybe she’d pass the test.”
He considered that, turning to look out the window as he thought. “I can’t leave work for that long,” he said. “We have a new product rollout in two weeks.”
“I know, but I’ll take her. Maybe you can come down for a little bit after the rollout.”
He sighed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt us to, um…have a chance to breathe.”
The words cracked her heart, and she pressed on his hand. “You don’t think that might make things worse?”
He looked at her for a long time, not bothering to argue that things were bad right now. The chasm between them grew bigger every day. A month away might break them completely…or bring them closer when she got back.
“I think this is the right thing to do,” he said.
“So do I.”
“And you swear you are capable of lying to your mother?” He lifted his brows. “Because when she’s not happy, no one’s happy.”
“I’m not lying,” Crista said. “I’m just not telling. And neither are you.”
“But Nolie will. She tells Maggie everything.”
Crista grimaced. “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. I certainly don’t want her to lie, but…”
“Look, if Tessa can really help her, then Maggie will be okay with it. I mean, the sun rises and sets on that kid in Maggie’s eyes. She’ll be fine.”
Crista wasn’t so sure of that, but she just felt like this was the right thing to do. Maggie’s ire was…a future problem.
“I think we can cross the Maggie bridge when we get to it,” she said.
“Agreed.” He smiled. “I’m on board if you are, Cris.”
She closed her eyes, shocked at how relieved she was. “I’ll go tell Nolie. I want to go to her school, and then take her to dance and tell Miss Penny she’s going to miss the recital. We can leave in a day or two.”
“Whoa.” He held up both hands. “That’s going to be a problem.”
“No, I’ll talk to Miss Penny?—”
“What about Miss Penny?” Nolie stood in the kitchen, a Barbie in one hand and Aunt Pittypat—wearing a pink doll’s dress—in the other arm.
Crista and Anthony shared a look and he gave a silent nod, as if to take the lead.
“Honey, I have very exciting news.”
