“You don’t have to lock the doors,” Lily answered. “But don’t get out and go wandering around if you get bored. We may be a little while getting everything done.”

“If I had my cell phone, you wouldn’t have to worry,” Holly sighed.

“But you don’t, and I will.” Lily tucked her car keys into her purse, made sure her phone was in the outside pocket, and opened the door. “If you decide to join us, the office is through the doors and about halfway down the hall on the right.”

“I won’t.” Holly already had her nose in the book.

“Just my luck,” Braden huffed as they crossed the parking lot. “Holly gets the new school, and I have to take the old one.”

“I’d hardly call the high school new anymore,” Lily informed him. “It’s been there for more than twenty years now.”

“Then that makes this one ancient.” Braden hung back a few seconds when his mother opened the door. “Does it even have bathrooms?”

“Sure, it does.” Lily went on in and headed down the hall.

Braden had to run to catch up with her. “Real bathrooms. Not one at the back of the school in an old wooden building.”

“When did you ever really see a bathroom like that?” Lily asked.

“I haven’t seen one in real life, but Holly made me watch reruns of Little House on the Prairie with her when we were little kids,” he answered.

Lily pointed to a door with a “Boys” sign on the front. “Does that ease your mind?”

“Whew!” Braden let out a whoosh of air. “It sure does.”

“Hey, I was hoping I might catch you while you were here.” Mack waved from a room where several other teachers were leaving from both doors. “I’m free to work in my office until eleven. Y’all want to go down to the Dairy Queen and get a snack when you get done?”

“Yes,” Braden answered before his mother could say a word. Then he turned to her. “Please?”

“Love to,” Lily agreed.

“I’ll meet you there in half an hour.” Mack waved and disappeared down the hallway.

The principal was a no-nonsense guy, newer than she was in the town, who handed Braden and Lily over to his assistant—an older lady whom Lily didn’t know either—and rushed out to a meeting. The lady was about as warm as an iceberg, but she was efficient. Braden was enrolled and had his own blue-and-gold handbook in less than fifteen minutes.

Mack arrived at the Dairy Queen just as Lily and the kids found a booth. Lily and Holly were sliding into one side, Braden the other. He waved from the door and joined them. “So what are we having?”

“French fries and a chocolate malt,” Braden said.

“Tater tots and a chocolate chip cookie dough Blizzard,” Holly answered.