Finally, I said:
“Then don’t come tomorrow.”
Kayla stared at me.
“What?”
“It’s Ethan’s first day of school. I don’t want another argument in front of him.”
“I’m his grandmother. I have every right to be there.”
“And I’m his mother, and I’m asking you not to come.”
She looked deeply offended.
“I would never cause a scene.”
“You’ve spent weeks telling me I chose the wrong school.”
“I was expressing my opinion.”
“Over and over, after I asked you to stop.”
She glared at me for another second.
Then she said:
“Fine.”
And left.
The moment the door closed, I turned toward Luke.
“You agree with me, right?”
He looked exhausted.
“About what?”
“That there’s no reason to change schools.”
“Of course.”
“Then please tell your mother to stop interfering.”
“I will.”
I studied his face.
“Why does she keep looking at you every time we talk about this?”
He gave a small laugh.
“Because she’s dramatic.”
I should have pushed harder.
Instead, I believed him.
The next morning, Ethan woke up before his alarm.
He ran into our bedroom wearing one sock and shouting:
“School day! Everybody wake up! I can’t be late!”
Luke groaned into his pillow.
I laughed.
“Yes, school day.”
By 7:30, Ethan had eaten half a waffle, spilled orange juice down his shirt, changed clothes, and asked at least six times whether he could carry his own backpack.
The second we parked near the school, he practically pulled us toward the entrance.
Then I saw Kayla.
She was standing near the gate holding a huge bouquet of flowers.
I stopped walking.
Luke nearly ran into me.
Then he followed my gaze and saw his mother.
Before I could say anything, Ethan ran toward her.
“Grandma! You came!”
She hugged him like the argument from the night before had never happened.
I walked over slowly.
“What are you doing here?”
Kayla smiled brightly.
“It’s my grandson’s first day.”
“I specifically asked you not to come.”
“I came to see him off.”
Luke leaned toward me.
“Lori, don’t make a scene.”
I looked at him.
That warning in his voice only made me angrier.
But Ethan was smiling.
Parents and children surrounded us.
Teachers were calling students toward classrooms.
So I swallowed my anger.
“Fine.”
Kayla kissed Ethan’s forehead.
“Have a wonderful first day.”
“I will!”
A teacher called Ethan’s class.
He waved enthusiastically at all three of us and walked inside with the other children.
