The children did not need to be told twice. It may have appeared to be a ruckus to an outsider, but Annika saw organized chaos. Every child had a responsibility in the classroom, and they took it very seriously, sunshine or no. In minutes, the classroom was in order, and the children had gathered their belongings and were seated in the afternoon dismissal circle. Annika addressed the class, recapping the lessons for the day and wishing them a happy weekend. Parents started showing up and the children left, anticipating their time outside.

“Mitch!” Annika called out as she saw his mother enter the room. Mitch popped up and came to the front of the room. He stopped in front of Annika and hugged her.

Annika hugged him back. “Thank you, Mitch.”

“You’re welcome, Ms. Mehta. Have a great weekend.” He flicked his eyes to his mother, and she beamed at him, mouthing, Good job.

The sound of his voice melted Annika’s heart. Mitch was far from a conversationalist, but she’d helped his mother find the appropriate therapist, and he was making great strides. This was the most Annika had heard him say in the classroom.

Tears blurred her vision, but she smiled. “You have a good weekend, too. I’ll see you on Monday.”

Mitch took his mother’s hand, and she smiled her gratitude to Annika as she left with her son.

Wait until Daniel hears this! It was still a reflex, her wanting to share exciting news with him. She shook her head at the thought, but the heaviness settled in her heart. There was nothing to be done for that. At least, nothing that she had found. In the meantime, she decided she’d call her dad and share Mitch’s progress with him.

There had been a clip in the local news last week commemorating the anniversary of the shooting that had taken Sara. Annika had watched, her heart breaking for Daniel and Sheila, and all the other loved ones who had lost someone that day. She knew he always spent the day alone, though she’d picked up her phone to call or text him an infinite number of times. In the end she left him alone in his grief. He wasn’t hers anymore.

In a flurry of excitement and activity, all of the children were reunited with their parents, and in no time her classroom echoed with silence. Annika straightened up the desks and chairs and tucked everything away for the weekend. A proud smile fell across her face as she thought of all her class had accomplished this year.