Chapter Forty Five
After returning from dropping Abbi off at school, Jen found herself acting as the sounding board for her husband’s gripes and complaints about his eldest daughter returning to school. She was trying her best to sound understanding, and to offer him words of advice, but he was having none of it, dismissing every word she uttered as ridiculous, or saying she didn’t understand. Her patience was wearing thin.
When the phone rang around noon, JC had a good idea as to who was calling. He’d told Julie this morning that she wasn’t ready to go back. He was sure people were staring and whispering and it was just too much to handle. Once again, dad was right. If she would just listen, it would save her a lot of heart ache!
“I’ve got to go pick Abbi up,” Jen said, rubbing her face with her hands. “Can you just listen in for Jackie? He should stay asleep, but you know he wakes up sometimes,” she said.
“Wait a minute… Abbi?” He asked, frowning. “I was sure it was Julie calling.” Jen couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
“You know, you would think you’d be happy she wasn’t letting this control her life and that she wants some sense of normalcy,” she told him. “Just… listen for the baby, okay? I’ll be back in a little bit.”
~*~
Pulling up in front of the school, Jen felt an ache in her heart. She had a good idea as to why Abbi’s nurse was calling. She’d seen her daughter that morning, after all. She had seen the dull look in her eyes, had noticed the defeated way she slumped in her seat at breakfast. She was a mom, after all. It was her job to notice such things. However, when Abbi dismissed it, making it clear that she was fine, Jen had not pressed the issue, knowing that would only drive her daughter away from her.
She got out of the car, slamming the door behind her and practically jogged up to the entrance of the elementary school. She’d made this trip one other time last year, when her daughter had gotten into a fight with a nasty little girl with a rotten attitude. This time, however, instead of heading for the principal’s office, she headed for the nurse’s station.
She entered the tidy office and spotted Abbi immediately. She was sitting on a little cot, her feet dangling off the edge, barely scraping the floor below. She looked absolutely miserable. She smiled pleasantly to the nurse, who was busying herself with refilling the cotton ball jar.
“Hi, Miss North? I’m Jennifer Chasez, we spoke on the phone a couple minutes ago,” she greeted, holding her hand out for the lady.
The nurse immediately stopped her task and shook Jen’s hand. “I’m sorry to have had to call, Mrs. Chasez. It’s usually a policy here at Maple to not call unless the child absolutely insists, or has a fever,” she said softly. “Abbi didn’t want us to place the call, but it was her teacher who insisted. She’s not been herself today, and frankly, she’s had us all worried.”
“No, no. Please don’t apologize. I’m glad this was brought to my attention,” she said, looking at her daughter. “Has she already gotten her things?”
“Yes ma’am, they’re out in the front office with the secretary,” she said.
Nodding, Jen walked over to Abbi and knelt in front of her. Using her hand, she gently tilted the child’s face upwards so that she could gaze into her lonely blue eyes. “You ready to go, babe?”
She nodded, sniffling pitifully as her eyes immediately filled with tears. “I’m so tired mommy,” she cried, burying her face against her mother’s shoulder as she threw her arms around her neck. “I’m so tired.”
Jen felt her heart breaking. She had no idea what kind of a toll this whole ordeal was having on her daughter, but after this display, she had a better idea.
“Alright baby,” she cooed. “I know you’re tired. Let’s just get you out of here and you can rest,” she promised. It had been many years since she was able to carry Abbi, but she knew her daughter needed the feeling of being wrapped in her mommy’s arms. She managed to find the strength, thankful that Abbi was not heavy at all. She stopped off out front long enough to pick up her daughter’s belongings and then carried the little girl out to her car. She had conked out on the back seat before Jen had even backed out of the parking lot.
~*~
When she got home, Jen knew that there was no way she was getting her daughter out of the car and into the house without falling and breaking a limb, so she gathered her things and hurried inside to her husband to complete the job. He met her at the door, Jack in his arms, laughing as the baby squealed. The smile fell as soon as he laid eyes on his wife.
“Where’s Abs?”
“She’s in the car. Do you think you can go get her? She fell asleep in the back seat.”
He nodded and handed Jack off to his wife as he hurried out to the car. He smiled when he saw Abbi slumped over in her seat, snoring softly. He unbuckled her and slid his arms under her, lifting her with ease. He carried her into the house as if she was light as feather, but was stopped by his wife when he headed for the stairs.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “If you put her up there, she’ll wake right back up and she needs rest. Keep her on the couch with you,” she said. She gave him a small smile to show she didn’t mean to be so harsh with him and kissed him on the cheek. “She needs her daddy."
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