Heather stepped out of her car and shut the door with a little more force than she meant to. The cold breeze rushed at her, sending a shiver down her spine.
She pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders. Today was unusually windy, and it felt like the chill in the air matched the tension sitting heavy in her chest.
She had left the set early, mumbling something vague about an "emergency." It wasn't exactly a lie—she did have somewhere important to be—but it wasn't the kind of emergency anyone expected.
Still, a small white lie wouldn't hurt anyone, right?
Heather's lips curled into a small, fleeting smile as she approached the daycare. Outside, other parents moved in and out—some mothers in yoga pants and ponytails, a few tired-looking single dads juggling bags and lunchboxes.
It was a scene she'd quietly come to appreciate. Peaceful and normal. But she barely noticed it today.
Her eyes were focused on one person.
"You ready to go, Alex?"
