Florecer

In The Game

     Tracy called when Lily was well on her way to picking up Danny from school. Putting Tracy on speaker, Lily dropped her cell in a cup holder so she could talk hands free and have her focus on the road. "What's up?" she answered, hands at ten and two to make herself feel better.

     "I got an interesting call today."

     "Yeah?" Lily's initial thought was that the school had called about Danny, and that she'd have to be speaking to his teachers, perhaps the principal. Danny was a good kid and rarely got into trouble but Lily taught him to be a tiny crusader. Sometimes he defended the weak and stood up for those in need. Unfortunately that translated to trouble according to the public school system. It was crap but Lily didn't mind defending Danny if she needed to.

     Tracy shifted her phone, causing a crackling noise to be heard through Lily's phone. "Some of the moms are having a get together at that family place near school for... I don't know, actually. I was only half paying attention. I was wondering if you'd take Danny over there when you get him."

     Lily gripped the steering wheel harder. "Trace, you know how I feel about those kinds of things. I don't like being stuck with those people."

     "I know, I know, but I'll be there. I'm just running late. You're already getting him now, right? Take him with the other moms and I'll be there in like, ten, fifteen minutes tops. I swear. I already told them you were coming."

     Lily sighed in her throat and kept her mouth shut so Tracy wouldn't hear it. "They don't even know me," she managed, hoping that would put Tracy off. She was always willing to drop Danny off somewhere, but stay? No. She didn't like to stay. Staying meant her having to know them and them having to know her. She didn't want anyone to know her, especially not some parents she wouldn't ever connect with if it weren't for Tracy.

     "June does," Tracy drawled. "She said she met you yesterday. Why didn't you tell me? She seems to like you. She said Christina likes you, too. It'll be great if you showed up with Danny. You can hang with June until I get there."

     "Alright, alright," Lily agreed. Her car was parked, this time close to the entrance, and she was stepping out. She wanted to get the situation handled now so Danny wouldn't have to hear it. "I'll take him," she said, leaning on the hood of her car and keeping an eye out for Danny. "You better show up right away or I'm gone."

     "I will, I swear. I'm already wrapping up here."

     Grumbling, Lily stuffed her phone into her pocket then placed her hand at her side to soak up the warmth of the car's hood. It was a nice day with slight wind. She waited patiently until school was out, then pushed off the car as kids started to flood out of the school building. Eventually Danny came jogging out into the sun and he spotted Lily almost immediately. His arms wrapped around her legs and she let him hug her that way for a moment before leaning down to lift him into her arms. She kissed his cheek and he kissed hers. Other children exclaimed when they saw their parents, and Lily and Danny's meeting was imitated everywhere.

     "Want to go get some pizza?" Lily asked as she walked around her car to get Danny into his booster seat.

     He waited until he was buckled in then asked, "What about mommy?"

     She dropped Danny's pack on the seat beside his. "She's meeting us there. I just talked to her on the phone."

     "Okay."

     "Great." Lily returned to the driver's seat and tried to be quick about getting out onto normal streets. Traffic was congested now that school was out and she was stuck behind a dirty SUV, not surprised at the honking cars around her. Everyone was trying to get out and yet no one was moving at a decent pace. It was a nightmare.