Page 3 of Kiss and Makeup
“Thanks, go ahead. She’ll be in the playroom right now.”
“I know where it is, thanks.” My license slipped easily back into my wallet, and I followed the hallway to the right, then stopped outside a wide archway.
Of course, the helpful staff had shown me the playroom when I enrolled Emma in this private preschool/daycare, but I’d never seen it so full of kids. And where was mine? Where was the cute little chubby face framed by locks of brown hair held back by her favorite headband with the pink bow?
I never made it into the room to search. A tiny, boisterous weight slammed into my legs, nearly tumbling me back out of the entryway. “Emma!” My little niece shrieked as I lifted her easily and spun her in a circle. “Whoops!” I caught her headband just in time. She giggled when I gave her chin a little tickle before carefully brushing her hair back and replacing the pink accessory. “What happened to your bracelet?” I asked, playfully waving Emma’s tiny wrist.
“I gave it to Lily!” The little girl bounced up and down in my arms.
“Oh, that’s nice! Does she have it now?” I asked, although I was a little surprised. Emma loved that little princess bracelet.
“She has it. For three. Then she’s giving it back,” Emma said seriously. “Because we’re friends.”
“Oh, so you’re sharing it with her? That’s wonderful, Emma. Thank you for sharing.” I hugged my little girl close, and pride melted away the concerns of the day. “Mommy wanted to say hi, but I have to go now. I’ll be back soon, and we’ll get some chicken nuggets, okay?”
“Can I share those too?” Emma pointed at Lily, a very pretty dark-haired girl. “Lily likes them. We had them for lunch.”
“Maybe sometime. Go and play.” I gave her one more hug, then set her down and watched her run back to a table where several large stuffed animals were sitting with saucers and teacups.
For just a moment, I watched, my smile growing wider by the second. Finally, I backed out of the entryway and left.
Sharing was something I was trying very hard to impress upon Emma. I didn’t want my little girl to be one of those children who jerked dolls away from younger girls or stole blocks from the boys. I wanted her to learn that if she shared, it would make others happy—and her happy as well. At home, we played a lot of “it’s your turn, now it’s my turn” games.
To see Emma let one of her little friends wear her favorite bracelet “for three,” however long that was, made me the proudest mother alive.
Emma didn’t judge me. She didn’t ask and ask to come home with me now. She didn’t throw a tantrum when I only came for a few minutes and then left again. She saw me, and she ran to me with all the love in her heart that I felt for her.
And now, just like that, I felt okay. Just okay. After finding my boyfriend screwing his secretary and being given an ultimatum at work, I couldn’t really say I was any better than just okay.
But I was ready for this meeting. I was about to negotiate a deal that would have Grant praising my name on the day that ReNova closed its doors.
