At 7 the next morning, Conrad called.
"Where's Vera's bow for her dress?"
I kept my eyes closed. "Second shelf of the closet. Box on the left."
I could hear him rummaging around on the other end for what felt like forever.
"Why are there so many boxes?"
I almost laughed.
He had never needed to know any of this before.
At 8:30, Vera's homeroom teacher texted me.
Vera's homeroom teacher: Mrs. Walker, Vera forgot her reflection journal.
I took a screenshot and sent it to Conrad.
He replied.
Conrad: In a meeting.
I said nothing.
2 minutes later, another message came through.
Conrad: Got it. I'll take it.
Around noon, the class group chat started filling with photos.
In one of them, Conrad was standing outside the classroom in a suit, his tie crooked, Vera's journal in his hand.
