Page 90 of From Maybe to Baby

Working in the home office.

Oh. She’s there now, when nobody else is home.

Another one during media interviews:

Have to cancel tea party. Work calls.

And again during pre-season photos:

Running late. Don't wait for dinner.

They pile up like missed shots on goal, each one hitting harder than the last:

Sorry about story time

Rain check on hockey practice

Paris office needs...

Work deadline...

Maybe tomorrow...

Emergency meeting..

Next time...

Soon...

I’m over this shit.

The kids start acting out in ways that feel painfully familiar. Lukas gets in trouble for pushing another kid at recess— "He said Lexa wasn't coming back, and I told him he was lying."

Jace refuses to let anyone touch her hair, showing up to school looking increasingly disheveled— "Only Lexa can do it right. Only Lexa."

Their teachers send concerned emails that read like ghosts of Genny's loss:

Unusual aggression during play time

Emotional outbursts

Difficulty focusing on tasks

Refusing to participate in group activities

Signs of anxiety

Pre-season intensifies, demanding more of my time just when they need me most and Vince keeps scheduling media appearances with increasingly desperate suggestions:

"Family man angle still plays well."

"City loves a redemption story."

"Maybe don't mention Paris."

"Focus on the kids, the team, the future."

"Avoid terms like 'leaving' or 'goodbye.'"

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