Leave the Lights On

Chapter 6

You're sitting in the infirmary for the elementary school, filling out some paperwork for a broken arm on the playground when there's a light knock on the door. You swivel around in your chair and find Summer standing there, a paper bag in her hand.

You check your watch and ask her, "Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

She smiles, flashing her little dimples. "It's recess time, but I brought you a brownie. Me and Mommy made them last night." She hands you the bag and rocks back on her heels. "Did you eat lunch?"

You shake your head and glance in the bag. That brownie looks so delicious. "Not yet."

"Mommy says dessert is for after lunch," Summer quirks her eyebrow in a challenge.

You chuckle at her. She's got the same eyebrow arch as her mom. "I'll eat lunch first."

"Promise?" Summer raises her other eyebrow.

"Promise," you nod.

Summer nods in acceptance. She turns around to walk away, but seems to change her mind, spinning back around. She walks briskly over to you, stands on her toes, and gives you a hug. "You're my favorite."

"Your favorite what?" you asks, accepting the hug. You can't help, but smile.

Summer sets herself back on her heels and makes a face like she's trying to think of something that's eluding her. "I don't know yet."

You chuckle, "Well you're my favorite I don't know either."

She laughs at you and her blonde hair shakes with her snickers. "I'm gonna go play now."

You wave at her and watch her run off.

You look out the window that you rarely use and watch Summer run out of the school and onto the playground. She starts talking to a group of little kids before they apparently decide what to play and run around like little maniacs.

Then you look at the paper bag of brownie deliciousness. You pick it up and look inside, taking a moment to smell it. It smells so good. You just want to pick it up and... you can't you promised. So you stand from your chair and grab your purse. You pick up the paper bag and walk out the door in search of lunch.

Your week is ridiculously boring, but you do manage to drag Brittany and Summer to a movie and then for ice cream once. There's not a while lot to do in this town, but you plan to research the hell out of what to do here this weekend, when Brittany's off having fun with her other friends. Because you only have one friend. You roll your eyes at yourself. She's better than one friend. She's a million friends.

So when Monday comes you have a plan. You're going to take Brittany and Summer to the university planetarium the next chance you get. You even make sure that they'll be open all week and weekend. You spend a pathetic weekend watching movies and laying in bed, wishing you'd taken a job in Chicago instead of this job to spite your parents. Then you remember that you never would have met the Pierces in Chicago. That makes this whole thing worth it.

On Monday, just like always, you're late taking a lunch which means no lunch with Brittany who is on a strict schedule governed by the school board and little kids. You tap your pen on your desk. You bet the vending machine in the teacher's lounge still has a Pop Tart or two in it.

There's a knock on the door and you turn to it. You're extremely surprised to see Rachel from the restaurant, standing in the doorway. She smiles at you, probably at your confusion, "Dr. Lopez?"

You nod. "How can I help you?"

"Well," she leans on the doorframe, "I came to surprise Brittany and take her to lunch, but I just missed her. So I thought I'd see if you wanted to go. You know, get to know that Dr. Santana that I keep hearing so much about."