“Sara... Please, come in,” she says politely.
I enter the foyer.
She shows me to the living room and sets Emma on her feet, the little girl gripping her mother’s skirt while looking up at me.
The house is small but cozy, crammed with toys, plants, and a few pieces of furniture. The living room opens to the kitchen.
The place is spotless. Pots and pans sit on the stove, filled with freshly cooked food. The smell tickles my nostrils.
Textbooks and a small laptop sit on the kitchen table.
“Going to school?”
“I’m trying. It’s not that easy,” she says, smiling as Emma brings her small hands to a bookshelf and tugs at a big book.
Sara sweeps her off her feet and puts her on a blanket on the floor.
“Do you want something to drink? Coffee? Tea?”
“Nothing for me. Thank you.”
She invites me to take a seat before walking into the kitchen and pouring a cup of coffee for herself.
She saunters back to the living room and slips into a chair across from me.
“Is he okay?” she asks, concerned.
“Yes, he is.”
“Where is he?”
Suspicion threads through her voice.
“He got caught up in a work project.”
“He did?” she asks incredulously.
I quickly remember his words and realize I need to make this story as plausible as possible.
“What kind of work?” she asks.
My mind spins different thoughts for a moment, trying to find an answer. I glance down, my gaze landing on a stack of crayons and a paper pad.
My eyes fall on the sketches.
The image of a baby bear comes into focus, and Jaden’s name scribbled at the bottom.
“Illustrations for a children’s book.”
Sara’s smile drops from her face.
Cringing inwardly, I swiftly pull my mouth shut. Shit. I must’ve gotten this all wrong.
Next, her eyes brighten with a smile.
“Are you serious? That’s great!” she says.
“Yes. It really is,” I murmur, more confidently this time.