As the days passed, Layla quickly grew very fond of Miss Winters. She was always warm, attentive, and had a kind word for her.
Layla revelled in the special attention that the teacher gave her. The extra stickers on her work and the way she always seemed to understand Layla.
At home, Annabelle watched over her daughter closely. She noticed the way Layla spoke about Miss Winter. Her eagerness to go to school grew with each passing day. At times, while sitting chatting with Layla, she noted little things that bugged her, such as:
"Mommy, Miss Winters said it's okay to have secrets, even from family."
"Miss Winters says sometimes parents don’t always know what’s best."
"Miss Winters said she knew someone who was really lonely because people turned against her."
Annabelle could no lon
