Willow Brook Road(45)

Just then a loud No! carried from the lobby.

Julie shook her head, her expression resigned. “Lucy?”

“I’m on it,” her daughter said.

“Problem child?” Carrie guessed.

“She just started here a week ago and has big-time separation anxiety, at least until we can get her so interested in something, she doesn’t realize her mom has left. Once the other kids are here, she’s pretty good.”

Thinking of Bobby, Carrie asked, “How do you deal with the separation thing? I have a friend who just assumed full custody of his nephew after the parents died in an accident. So he’s in a new town with an uncle he barely knows. I noticed the other day that he’s not letting his uncle out of his sight. That’s going to be a problem when school starts.”

“Totally understandable,” Julie said. “How old is he? Does he have friends?”

“He’s six and he’s started making some friends.”

“The same age?”

“A couple are older, but he started playing T-ball on Saturday and that looks promising. He seemed to fit in pretty quickly, though that’s when I noticed he was keeping a close eye on his uncle the whole time.”

“If he’s socializing that well already, I’ll bet he’ll be fine,” one of the other women making sandwiches piped up, then gave a shrug, her expression wry. “Lots of psychology classes before I had to quit college. I know just enough to be dangerous.”

“Alicia, right?” Carrie said, determined to keep as many names as possible straight from the beginning. She’d been a master at it during her career in fashion. Remembering names was the first step in great PR.

Alicia nodded.

“Listen to her,” Julie said. “I may have been at this a long time, but Alicia does have the advantage of all those classes. One of these days we’re going to convince her to finish her degree and hang out her shingle in child psychology. Or I’ll put her on staff right here and brag about her.”

Carrie noticed that the women had an easy rapport and a demeanor that would be warm and welcoming with the children. When Lucy returned with a little girl whose face was tearstained, Alicia rushed over to give her a hug.

“We’re so glad you’re here,” she told the child. “Want to come with me and draw a picture?”

“No!”

“Finger paints?” Alicia suggested, even as Julie winced.

“Okay,” the girl said with a spark of interest.

“Be sure she wears a smock over that pretty dress,” Julie called after them, then sighed. “The person who invented finger painting should be made to clean up a day care at the end of the day for a year. I swear I’d ban it from the premises if I could.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Lucy said, giving her a hug. “You are in charge here, so you could easily toss all the paints in the garbage and never mention the activity again.”

Julie’s expression brightened. “I could, couldn’t I?”

“And let all those smocks you bought go to waste? Come on, Mom, you know the kids love all those bright colors and getting messy. Nothing on earth makes you happier than a room filled with smiling faces.”

Three more children arrived in rapid succession. The adults made quick work of getting them settled with toys or other age-appropriate activities before the next wave arrived. By seven-thirty the room was filled with noisy, but definitely cheerful, chaos.

By nine Carrie’s clothes were streaked with finger paint, and her hair, which she’d pinned atop her head, had tumbled to her shoulders. But she was as happy as those children Lucy had described. She’d read at least a dozen stories, helped clumsy fingers play with blocks and doled out praise for unidentifiable art projects.

After lunch, with the littlest children down for naps, and others looking at picture books during their own quiet time, she finally had a minute to draw in a deep breath.

“How are you doing?” Julie asked. “Is the indoctrination by fire helping or destroying this crazy impulse of yours?”

“I love it,” Carrie responded without hesitation.

Julie smiled. “Then there may be hope for you. You’ll be back tomorrow? Or Wednesday? We didn’t settle on a schedule.”

“Tomorrow,” Carrie said at once, eager to learn all she could as fast as she could.

For the first time in months, she was actually excited about getting up in the morning, even if it was at 5:00 a.m. when no sensible person should be expected to be awake.



Since she didn’t want to reveal her plans to the whole family just yet and it had been Luke’s idea in the first place, as soon as she’d showered and changed, Carrie headed to the pub. It was still early enough to be deserted and she found Luke, as expected, behind the bar.