That evening, I was ten minutes late to the daycare center. When I arrived, Samantha and Ryan were the only two there. It had been a hellish day at work, with fuckups everywhere. Something big was coming down the pipeline, and it had made everyone antsy, especially me, as I should have been informed since I was the goddamn CFO! It was a relief, actually, to be away from the office. A major first for me.
When I walked into the playroom, Samantha looked up at me and gave me a big, goofy grin that turned my heart over and made my horrific day disappear. I sat next to Ryan, who concentrated on his charge as she played with an animal alphabet puzzle.
“Hi, Samantha,” I said and observed as she put the pieces together unerringly. To Ryan, I said, “I’m sorry for being late.”
He smiled. “I under
