grin.
“Don’t be smart Liam,” Faith retorted.
Although secretly she knew he was right. She was treating him like a baby lately, but why wouldn’t she? They’d barely survived a violent attack together and her husband hadn’t survived it. Wasn’t she entitled to act a little overly motherly?
“Actually ‘being smart’ was what I wanted to ask you about,” he continued, running his hands nervously over the back of an empty chair across the table from her. “What’s the school situation here? Am I going? Not going?”
He couldn’t believe he was asking about school. He’d never been a huge fan of the institution, but lately he was looking for anything he could to keep his thoughts away from the accident. That. Night. It was playing on a never ending loop in the movie theater of his head and the title of that particular flick was ‘Liam destroys his family.’
He was desperate for something that would take his mind off it. School might be the new start he needed to move past it and stop blaming himself.
“School…” Faith said the word like she’d never heard it before. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t really thought much about Liam’s education.
If she wasn’t treating him like a baby, she was forgetting about him entirely. She had to get her head on straight before she ruined her son’s life. Wouldn’t Mac be angry at her for that.
Helplessly she looked at Myra for help.
“Actually, I think I can be of some help here,” Myra said. “I thought you might be a little overwhelmed with everything and one of the assistant principals at East Magnet is in my prayer circle at church, so of course I explained what was happening and before I knew it he was offering Liam a spot!”
Liam and Faith just looked at each other.
“What’s ‘East Magnet,’” Liam asked curiously.
“It’s actually called East Nashville Magnet School,” Myra explained, “But everyone just calls it ‘East Magnet.’ It’s a really special program and it can be hard to get in. It’s actually a middle school and a high school together. They’re very education focused,” she said looking at Faith, “and they have a ton of programs and college prep stuff going on,” she told Liam excitedly.
“It can be hard to get into,” she said again when they didn’t respond. “It’s a real blessing that we know Pat, and of course we live in the area, so that helps, but Pat had to really pull some serious strings to get you accepted without even filling out an application.”
Faith just looked at Liam. This was his decision. It sounded good, but maybe a lot of pressure. Too much pressure what with everything that had already happened?
“Thanks grandma,” Liam said and leaned over to give Myra a hug. “Sounds great!”
Faith smiled at the sight of her usually stiff and cold mother, getting an enthusiastic hug from her grandson.
Maybe this was going to work after all, she thought. And with that she drank the rest of her wine down in one satisfied gulp.
CHAPTER 16
“Nervous?” Faith asked Liam with a grin.
“Nope. You?” He answered her.
It was a lie. They both knew it, but she was grateful for it. Gave them both the opportunity brazen it out. First days for both of them. Him at a new school. Her at a new job.
“Nope.” She lied right back to him with a wink and a smile.
Reaching to the seat behind her she handed him his backpack.
“You sure you don’t need me to come in with you? Get you set up with the office so you don’t have to stress about signing in while you’re looking for your locker? Stuff like that?”
“Mom, c’mon,” Liam groaned comically and he was rewarded with a laugh.
“Okay, get in there. Make some friends. Remember, it’s a brand new start. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to, okay.”
He just grabbed his stuff and swung out of the car onto the steps in front of the massive school building. It looked like it’d been there for 200 years and it
“Don’t be smart Liam,” Faith retorted.
Although secretly she knew he was right. She was treating him like a baby lately, but why wouldn’t she? They’d barely survived a violent attack together and her husband hadn’t survived it. Wasn’t she entitled to act a little overly motherly?
“Actually ‘being smart’ was what I wanted to ask you about,” he continued, running his hands nervously over the back of an empty chair across the table from her. “What’s the school situation here? Am I going? Not going?”
He couldn’t believe he was asking about school. He’d never been a huge fan of the institution, but lately he was looking for anything he could to keep his thoughts away from the accident. That. Night. It was playing on a never ending loop in the movie theater of his head and the title of that particular flick was ‘Liam destroys his family.’
He was desperate for something that would take his mind off it. School might be the new start he needed to move past it and stop blaming himself.
“School…” Faith said the word like she’d never heard it before. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t really thought much about Liam’s education.
If she wasn’t treating him like a baby, she was forgetting about him entirely. She had to get her head on straight before she ruined her son’s life. Wouldn’t Mac be angry at her for that.
Helplessly she looked at Myra for help.
“Actually, I think I can be of some help here,” Myra said. “I thought you might be a little overwhelmed with everything and one of the assistant principals at East Magnet is in my prayer circle at church, so of course I explained what was happening and before I knew it he was offering Liam a spot!”
Liam and Faith just looked at each other.
“What’s ‘East Magnet,’” Liam asked curiously.
“It’s actually called East Nashville Magnet School,” Myra explained, “But everyone just calls it ‘East Magnet.’ It’s a really special program and it can be hard to get in. It’s actually a middle school and a high school together. They’re very education focused,” she said looking at Faith, “and they have a ton of programs and college prep stuff going on,” she told Liam excitedly.
“It can be hard to get into,” she said again when they didn’t respond. “It’s a real blessing that we know Pat, and of course we live in the area, so that helps, but Pat had to really pull some serious strings to get you accepted without even filling out an application.”
Faith just looked at Liam. This was his decision. It sounded good, but maybe a lot of pressure. Too much pressure what with everything that had already happened?
“Thanks grandma,” Liam said and leaned over to give Myra a hug. “Sounds great!”
Faith smiled at the sight of her usually stiff and cold mother, getting an enthusiastic hug from her grandson.
Maybe this was going to work after all, she thought. And with that she drank the rest of her wine down in one satisfied gulp.
CHAPTER 16
“Nervous?” Faith asked Liam with a grin.
“Nope. You?” He answered her.
It was a lie. They both knew it, but she was grateful for it. Gave them both the opportunity brazen it out. First days for both of them. Him at a new school. Her at a new job.
“Nope.” She lied right back to him with a wink and a smile.
Reaching to the seat behind her she handed him his backpack.
“You sure you don’t need me to come in with you? Get you set up with the office so you don’t have to stress about signing in while you’re looking for your locker? Stuff like that?”
“Mom, c’mon,” Liam groaned comically and he was rewarded with a laugh.
“Okay, get in there. Make some friends. Remember, it’s a brand new start. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to, okay.”
He just grabbed his stuff and swung out of the car onto the steps in front of the massive school building. It looked like it’d been there for 200 years and it
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