She hurried out of the classroom, yet stopping just outside the door with the intention of taking a brief look back at Angelica. She smiled as she peeked in. It was just as she thought it was going to be – after twenty minutes Angelica was ready to stay by herself. Angelica was already deep into building her bear and was working to get the little girl’s interest away from her pink bear and pay attention to hers. Bette felt her pride and she wished she could take a picture of that moment.

As she stood there she found herself sidetracked and for a fleeting moment as she looked at her daughter she wished she was sharing the moment with somebody.

Too often, way too often, there has been nobody with whom to share Angelica’s little learning and growing moments. She shook away her thought and poked her head around again for another quick look at Angelica, but this time Angelica caught her and laughed.

Angelica happily waved goodbye with a big bright smile.

Bette smiled and waved back before she hurried down the hallway and outside to her car. The morning had started out with a challenge and though she was extremely late, she went to work happy. She was happy Angelica had warmed up to her big day.

One Week later.

“What does it mean?”

 “I don’t know.” Jessica innocently held up her little hands, palms up. “I’ll ask my mom when I get home.”

Angelica face lit up at the idea. “I’ll ask my Mom.”

“When you get home?”

“No. Now.”

“But how?” A soft spoken Jessica stared at her friend. “Where’s your mom?”

“At work. I’ll call her.”

“You will?”

“Yeah.”

Jessica’s eyes widened. She knew she could never call her Mom at work about something like that.

“I have to go get my lunchbox.”

“Your lunchbox?”

“Yeah, my mom wrote the number on the inside of my lunchbox. I’m not supposed to tell anybody but my mom said to call her when something happens.”

“Oh.” Jessica wondered if this really counted as “something” but Angelica was already heading for her classroom.

“I’ll go get it okay?”

“Okay.”

Angelica ran into the classroom nearby and Jessica waited in the hallway and as soon as Angelica reemerged with her American Girl lunchbox and caught up again they both ran down the hallway toward the phone-box, Angelica leading the way, Jessica following closely behind.

At the phone-box, Jessica pulled up a chair and Angelica smiled as she climbed up on it while Jessica sat right there on the floor and opened the lunchbox. 

“Tell me the number.”  

Angelica held the receiver, preparing to dial the public phone and Jessica obediently read each digit from the inside of the lunchbox and watched her friend dialed.

At work Bette was pondering over papers when James knocked and opened her office door.

“I’m sorry Bette but…”

“James. I‘ve told you numerous times...” Bette never bothered to look up, her eyes scurried over students work, making and noting comparisons. “You don’t have to say you’re sorry every time you want something. What is it?”