Call if you need anything. The fever broke by evening, but Thomas was miserable and clingy in a way 12-year-olds usually weren't. Lena sat with him on the couch, letting him doze against her shoulder while some nature documentary played on low volume. Sophieie appeared in her pajamas. Is Thomas dying?
He has a cold. He's fine. He looks terrible. Thanks, Sophieie. Thomas mumbled, really feeling the love.
I'm just saying. She climbed onto the couch on Lena's other side. Can we watch something else? I don't care about penguins. Thomas picked.
Thomas is asleep. She had a point. Lena switched to one of those baking competition shows Sophieie loved, and they watched people stress over fondant until Sophieie started nodding off, too. Marcus found them like that an hour later. Lena sandwiched between two sleeping kids, trying not to move and wake them.
"Need help?" he whispered. "Can you get Thomas upstairs?" Between the two of them, they managed to get both kids to bed without fully waking them. Lena tucked Sophieie in, brushed hair off her forehead, and felt something shift in her chest. This was terrifying, having people depend on her like this, but it also felt right in a way nothing had in a long time.
She checked her phone before bed. A text from Adrien. How's Thomas? Fever broke. He's sleeping.
You're a miracle worker. Just did what you would have done. Doubt that. I would have panicked. The admission made her smile.
Perfect. Adrien Cole panicking over a kid's fever. It made him more human somehow. Go to sleep. She texted back.
You've got meetings tomorrow. Yes, ma'am. Day four, the school called. Marcus had gotten into a fight. Lena's heart stopped when she saw the number on her phone.
Hello, Miss Carter. This is Principal Morrison from Riverside Middle. We need you to come pick up Marcus. There's been an incident. An incident?
That could mean anything from he talked back to a teacher to he burned down the gym. What kind of incident? I'd prefer to discuss it in person. Fantastic. She left Thomas with the neighbor, a grandmother type who'd brought over soup when she heard he was sick, and drove to the school with her stomach in knots.
Marcus was in the principal's office, lips split and knuckles red. Another kid sat across from him, also banged up. The principal looked like she'd aged 10 years in the past hour. "Marcus started it," the other kid said immediately. "Because you were being a jerk," Marcus shot back. language.
Principal Morrison warned. Both of you. Lena sat down next to Marcus. What happened? He called you names.
Marcus muttered, not looking at her. What? Dylan said. He stopped jaw tight. He said stuff about you.
About how you're not our real mom and you're just some charity case dad took in. So, I hit him. Lena's chest tightened. She looked at the principal. Is this true?