CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Michelle pulled to a stop in front of Amherst Preparatory School just as a noisy cluster of kids came rushing through the double-doors.
Just in time, she thought, stepping out of the car. Now that Precious was in school, she spent her mornings at the youth center buried in clerical work, sending thank you letters as the funds kept coming in, and getting things ready for the after-school kids. She’d taken on a lot more responsibility since Rose had returned to teaching.
Since they’d been able to raise the funds they needed, she spent the early afternoons going over blueprints with Bill Wilson of Wilson’s Construction. She was so excited that their plan for a new center was finally coming to fruition. She was happy her nanny position allowed her the space and time to devote to her cause. If she never did anything else worthwhile with her life, Michelle felt she would go to her grave contented that she’d done this good deed for the needy children in Manchester.
Maybe losing her job and hitting rock bottom was a blessing, for she could not have accomplished half as much for the kids if she was still in the corporate world.
“Hi, Michelle.”#p#分页标题#e#
Michelle turned as Belinda’s mother approached her from behind. Maggie was the closest friend Michelle had on Jefferson Drive, so far. Well she didn’t have a choice, actually, since Belinda and Precious were best friends. She’d met some of the other parents when she and Erik had attended Open House at the school, but Maggie had remained her favorite.
“Hey, Maggie. What’s up?”
“The weekend. We’re leaving for Hampton Beach this afternoon to enjoy the fantastic weather. It might be the last before winter sets in. Are you guys going anywhere?”
Erik had told Michelle that he’d rented a cottage on Cape Cod, but it hadn’t been used because of the many upheavals this summer. She would like to see what it was like on the Cape, how the folks on the other side of the tracks vacationed. “Erik just came back from a week-long conference in D.C. last night. He probably just wants to relax at home.” She waved as she saw Precious and Belinda tumble down the steps of the school.
“Erik is one lucky man to have found you,” Maggie said. “We were worried after Holly left, but you’re great with Precious. I don’t think I’ve seen her this happy since her mother died.”
Precious came up and wrapped her arms around Michelle. “How was school?” she asked the little girl.
“Boring,” Precious and Belinda said in unison.
Michelle and Maggie rolled their eyes, and laughed.
“Now that the girls are in school, we should plan some lunch dates and shopping sprees,” Maggie said.
A week ago, Michelle would not have been able to afford it. But since she’d become Erik’s secret wife, he’d deposited a huge amount of money into her account. He wanted her to feel like his wife, at least in one other aspect than the bedroom. She could walk away today and be good to start over anywhere in the world, but she won’t trade Precious and Erik for anything. “Sounds great,” she told Maggie.
“I’ll call you.” Maggie grabbed her daughter’s hand.
“Bye, Belinda,” Precious called as Belinda and Maggie walked to their Volvo SUV, loaded with weekend luggage.
“Bye, Precious. Have a fun weekend.”
Michelle helped Precious into the car. “So school was boring, huh?” she asked as she leaned over to buckle her seatbelt.
Precious grabbed her around the neck and planted a sound wet kiss on her cheek.
“Whoa, what was that for?”
“Cause you look like you could use a hug.”
“Oh, I do, do I?” Michelle rubbed her nose against Precious’. She did need a hug to calm the quivering in her stomach. She was going to tell Erik about her father, today.
“So what’s the problem? Want to talk about it?”
Michelle stared into her innocent, trusting eyes, marveling at her ability to pick up on her mood. It was true when you were close to people, you could read them like a book. When Erik didn’t come down for coffee this morning, she knew something was wrong.
“I miss hanging out with you all day,” she said closing the door, then quickly walking around the car to slide behind the wheel.
“I miss you, too. Maybe we can do something fun like go see Yasmine and Peter or Uncle Robert,” Precious said with a hopeful lilt in her voice.
“We can, if your father doesn’t have any plans for you,” Michelle answered as she pulled out from the curb.
“Where’s Daddy, anyway? He was supposed to pick me up.”