This Hard Life

Chapter 2: The Meeting

Chapter 2

I drove out of the school parking lot and headed to Gracie's daycare. It wasn't too far away; only about ten minutes.

The owner, a middle-aged woman named Lorna, knew about my family's situation. She gave us a much lower price for childcare. It wasn't that my mom was a charity case; it was that with medical expenses, money was tight and my mom couldn't work.

Once I arrived at the daycare center, I saw Lorna sitting at the front desk.

"Hello Charlotte! How are you today," she asked me.

"I'm dealing, but I'm okay. How was Gracie today?"

"She was great, like usual. The only thing is that one of my new girls thought that for arts and crafts the kids would draw a picture of their family. I didn't think anything of it at the time. But, I was in the room when the pictures were being shown and the kids were telling everyone else who was in their picture. Little Grace raised her hand to speak first, and then she did her presentation. After her presentation, one of the boys asked where her father was. She told the little boy, Ryan, that she didn't have a daddy. Ryan told her that everyone has a daddy, so where is hers? Once again, Grace told her that she didn't have a father. The two got in an argument until Gracie started crying. I took her into my office, gave her a cup of chocolate milk and a few cookies to calm her down. She stopped crying, and I told her to go play, but I made sure she stayed away from Ryan, who was in time out."

"Oh man, this isn't good." I knew that Grace would have to learn about what happened to our father one day, but I had no idea that it would be so soon. Ideally, it would've been when she started elementary school. My mom and I had a plan of what to say, we just didn't feel that she would understand, especially with the fact that he left with another woman.

"Is she playing now?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll sign her out. Can you bring her up?"

"No problem, but Charlotte? If you need to talk, you know that I'm here. The amount of stuff that you are going through is too much for anyone, not to mention a seventeen year old."

"I know, but I'm dealing, you know?" I thought of Lorna like she was a grandmother, but I didn't need to talk. Life is hard, especially mine, but I don't talk to anyone about this stuff. I don't feel that it'll help anything.

"Okay," she replied. Then she hit the intercom button and said, "Sheryl, Charlotte is here to pick up Grace. Can you bring her up?"

The intercom said, "Yes, one minute."

I was chatting with Lorna about my classes and the upcoming summer while I was waiting for Grace to come up to the front desk. Not too long after, my little sister came up to the foyer with a very perky attitude.

"Charlotte! Charlotte," she squealed.

"Hey Gracie," I responded, and bent me knees and squatted to her level to get a big hug. She knew what I was doing, and she ran into my arms. I hugged her for a moment and then let go. "Alrighty kiddo, are you ready to go see mommy?" Gracie smiled and nodded. "Okay, see you tomorrow Lorna, and thank you so much," I added.

"Oh no problem sweetie," the woman smiled, and my sister and I turned to the door.

Gracie started telling me about her day at school after we got into the car. She didn't mention what happened with that little boy. Once I had a quick minute with my mother, I would tell her what happened. Then, chances are, my mother and I would tell Gracie what happened to our father.

"Charlotte? I have to go to the bathroom," Grace whispered.

"You do? Why didn't you go when you were at daycare?"

"I didn't have to go then!"

"Alright, we'll stop up here at the pharmacy," I said, a little irritated.

"Okay and Charlotte? Sorry about you having to stop for me." I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her head was down and her eyes were looking up. Her beautiful eyes looked sad.

"Aww, sweetie. You don't have to say that you're sorry. It's no big deal," I said as I pulled up to the pharmacy.

Grace and I got out of my Cruiser and we headed into the store.

"Charlotte, I need to run to the bathroom," she told me.

"Okay, run. I'll meet you over there," I said. I know that when she has to go, she usually has to go. I watched her hurry to the bathroom.

I pulled out my cell phone to see if I got any messages from the hospital where my mom is at. I didn't have anything from the hospital, bur I did have a text from Claire. I went to answer it and I felt someone back up into me. I quickly turned around and saw the guy from school.

"Oh I am so sorry. I just wasn't paying attention," he said quickly.

"No problem, it happens all the time," I said nonchalantly.

"I actually was looking for the contact lens solution, and I have no idea where it could be."

"Try aisle four. It's kinda hidden, but you just have to look for those foot gel things. You know, the Dr. Scholl's."

"Really? I just passed that area, I really must be blind."

I laughed a little and said, "And that would be why you need the contact solution."

"Oh yes, very true. Anyway, my name is Scott Kingsly. I just moved here," he said and took out his hand. The name rang a bell. Isn't that Brian's friend?

"I'm Charlotte Wood."

"Wait, didn't I see you at Hemery High School earlier today?"

"Well, I go there. I'm a junior, and I saw you at the office."

"Oh yeah," he nodded.

I was about to say something, but Gracie came running up to me.

"Charlotte! Can I get some candy? I want some candy to give to mommy," she exclaimed.

"In a minute Grace," I said.

"Well, it looks like you're busy. So I will let you go get candy while I look for the lens solution," Scott said a little nervous.

"Okay, well I will see you in school then," I said and he nodded before he turned away.

I watched as Scott Kingsly walked away. I would've loved to talk to him more.

I shook these thoughts away, looked at my little sister, and said, "Let's go get mommy some candy."