back at him, then she started to cry. Dropping the truck, she rushed into Savannah’s waiting arms.
“Well, that didn’t go well.” Savannah said. “Her first encounter with a peer and she body-slams him and takes away his toy.”
When Barbara sensed that Savannah was embarrassed by Lily’s actions, she said, “It’s normal. It takes time to learn to share. That’s what preschool is all about.” She suggested, “Why don’t you leave her with me for a while today. Come back in, say, an hour.” When Savannah seemed hesitant, Barbara picked up her phone. “Here, let’s exchange numbers. You can text to check on her if you want and I can call you if there’s a problem.”
“Oh. Well, okay, I guess,” Savannah stammered.
“She’ll be fine,” Barbara said, smiling.
Savannah looked at Lily and then back at Barbara. “I could go get those things for her party. I’ll change her first.”
“And leave her something she likes to eat, if you would,” Barbara suggested. She turned to her daughter and asked, “Are you staying?”
Jenna said, “I’d actually like a break, if you don’t mind.”
“A break to go home and work?” her mother asked, chuckling.
“No, I finished the piece I was working on and I’m waiting for some supplies for my next project. No art today. I might do a mall walk.”
“Sure,” Barbara said. “Go get your exercise.”
“Hey, I’m going to the mall,” Savannah said, after checking Lily’s diaper and handing Barbara a baggie of baby treats. “Why don’t you go with me? You can walk, I can get my party favors, and then we can have a smoothie or tea or something.”
Jenna’s face brightened. “I’d love some adult company. Yes.”
Savannah smiled. “I know what you mean.” She leaned toward Jenna as if sharing a secret. “Sometimes I feel like my husband comes home to a boring wife whose vocabulary consists of only single-syllable words.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” Jenna said. “But I have some remedies for that.”
“Oh, share, please,” Savannah said, as the two women headed for the front door.
Before they left, Barbara called after them, “Enjoy your smoothies.”
“Want us to bring you anything, Mom?”
“Yeah, if you go to the coffee shop, I’d love some of those lemon bars.”
Jenna waved. “Sure. See you later.”
“Thank you, Barbara. Let me know if you need me for anything.” Savannah started to walk over to Lily to tell her goodbye, when Barbara raised her hand and said, “I think it’s best if you just slip out while she’s involved with that toy. She’ll be just fine.”
****
An hour later on the dot, Savannah and Jenna returned to Barbara’s day-care facility.
“How’d it go?” Savannah asked, trying not to sound overly eager.
“Come see for yourself,” Barbara invited as she led the way into the playroom.
“Hi, Pops,” Jenna said, acknowledging the man who sat on a sofa between the two toddlers, reading them a story.
When Lily saw her mother, she pointed to the book. “Ki-ki. Ki-ki…mowwww.”
“That’s right,” the gentleman said, laughing jovially, “the kitty goes meowwww,” he exaggerated.
When Lily started to climb down from the sofa, the man helped her. She toddled over to Savannah, who reached for her. But Lily had other ideas. She grabbed one of Savannah’s fingers and led her toward the toy box, where she pulled out a stuffed cat, saying, “Ki-ki.”
“She’s quite a talker,” the man said. He stood. Lifting Bradley into his arms, he introduced himself to Savannah. “I’m Allan, Barbara’s other half.” He glanced at Lily. “She’s a sweetheart.”
Savannah smiled from ear to ear. “She is a joy.” She reached her hand out. “Nice to meet you.” She then asked, glancing from Allan to Barbara, “So how did it go?”
“Fine, just fine,” Barbara said. “She’s a smart little girl and she knows what she wants. She’s very interested in what’s around her and not afraid
“Well, that didn’t go well.” Savannah said. “Her first encounter with a peer and she body-slams him and takes away his toy.”
When Barbara sensed that Savannah was embarrassed by Lily’s actions, she said, “It’s normal. It takes time to learn to share. That’s what preschool is all about.” She suggested, “Why don’t you leave her with me for a while today. Come back in, say, an hour.” When Savannah seemed hesitant, Barbara picked up her phone. “Here, let’s exchange numbers. You can text to check on her if you want and I can call you if there’s a problem.”
“Oh. Well, okay, I guess,” Savannah stammered.
“She’ll be fine,” Barbara said, smiling.
Savannah looked at Lily and then back at Barbara. “I could go get those things for her party. I’ll change her first.”
“And leave her something she likes to eat, if you would,” Barbara suggested. She turned to her daughter and asked, “Are you staying?”
Jenna said, “I’d actually like a break, if you don’t mind.”
“A break to go home and work?” her mother asked, chuckling.
“No, I finished the piece I was working on and I’m waiting for some supplies for my next project. No art today. I might do a mall walk.”
“Sure,” Barbara said. “Go get your exercise.”
“Hey, I’m going to the mall,” Savannah said, after checking Lily’s diaper and handing Barbara a baggie of baby treats. “Why don’t you go with me? You can walk, I can get my party favors, and then we can have a smoothie or tea or something.”
Jenna’s face brightened. “I’d love some adult company. Yes.”
Savannah smiled. “I know what you mean.” She leaned toward Jenna as if sharing a secret. “Sometimes I feel like my husband comes home to a boring wife whose vocabulary consists of only single-syllable words.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” Jenna said. “But I have some remedies for that.”
“Oh, share, please,” Savannah said, as the two women headed for the front door.
Before they left, Barbara called after them, “Enjoy your smoothies.”
“Want us to bring you anything, Mom?”
“Yeah, if you go to the coffee shop, I’d love some of those lemon bars.”
Jenna waved. “Sure. See you later.”
“Thank you, Barbara. Let me know if you need me for anything.” Savannah started to walk over to Lily to tell her goodbye, when Barbara raised her hand and said, “I think it’s best if you just slip out while she’s involved with that toy. She’ll be just fine.”
****
An hour later on the dot, Savannah and Jenna returned to Barbara’s day-care facility.
“How’d it go?” Savannah asked, trying not to sound overly eager.
“Come see for yourself,” Barbara invited as she led the way into the playroom.
“Hi, Pops,” Jenna said, acknowledging the man who sat on a sofa between the two toddlers, reading them a story.
When Lily saw her mother, she pointed to the book. “Ki-ki. Ki-ki…mowwww.”
“That’s right,” the gentleman said, laughing jovially, “the kitty goes meowwww,” he exaggerated.
When Lily started to climb down from the sofa, the man helped her. She toddled over to Savannah, who reached for her. But Lily had other ideas. She grabbed one of Savannah’s fingers and led her toward the toy box, where she pulled out a stuffed cat, saying, “Ki-ki.”
“She’s quite a talker,” the man said. He stood. Lifting Bradley into his arms, he introduced himself to Savannah. “I’m Allan, Barbara’s other half.” He glanced at Lily. “She’s a sweetheart.”
Savannah smiled from ear to ear. “She is a joy.” She reached her hand out. “Nice to meet you.” She then asked, glancing from Allan to Barbara, “So how did it go?”
“Fine, just fine,” Barbara said. “She’s a smart little girl and she knows what she wants. She’s very interested in what’s around her and not afraid
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