Page 43 of Second Chance At Love

Cora certainly didn’t. It would mean being at all the meetings, organizing all the events, getting reluctant parents to do their part, forcing children to fundraise which even though it was an expensive school, Livingston Academy did value philanthropy, and leading talks like this one. It was a lot of hard work that Susan seemed to thrive on.

Sneaking a look at her phone screen, Cora saw it was a text from Henry. Suddenly worried something had happened to him or the boys, she swiped the screen to go to the message.

How is the meeting?

Relieved Henry was simply asking her how things were going, Cora carefully replied using one hand while the other kept Adam steady.

Boring. I wish I were somewhere else.

Three dots appeared as Henry typed.I can get you out of the meeting. Tell them I’m sick. It’s the truth.

Cora almost smiled but she didn’t want to attract Susan’s attention.Tempting…

I’ll go on the ring camera on the porch and fall down. You can show them the video and pretend you’re rushing home to save me. You’ll never be invited to a parent meeting again this year. All you have to do is tell them how horrible my health is and you can’t possibly leave me by myself. You’ll have the video to prove it,typed Henry.

Cora’s smile suddenly left. Her thumb rapidly touched the letter.Don’t you dare.

Except, knowing Henry, he would. Henry would do whatever it took to get her out of a boring meeting if she simply asked. He had always been like that, a mischievous manchild during college who was up for anything innocently fun and dragging her along with him.

He had made her smile and laugh so often, Cora thought with warmth at the memories. Henry still did, joking with her and sometimes saying silly things.

You know you want me to. I’m on the porch right now. Just type fall and I’m in.

You’ll hurt yourself,Cora protested as she saw the ring camera alert her that there was movement on the porch.

Come on, you hate sitting in that boring meeting. Let me get you out.

“... agreed, Cora?”

Cora jerked her head up to see Susan Hythe looking at her in complete satisfaction like the cat who just had cream. Cora had no idea what was going on so tentatively responded, “Yes?”

“Great!” enthused Susan. “I will put you down for baking and icing the cupcakes. They need to be homemade from scratch. You remember the dietary restrictions and the amount we will need, right?”

“Um,” croaked out Cora, drawing a complete blank. Her thumb typed a single word, probably misspelled.

Fall!

“I don’t think I can. New baby and all,” she managed to say before swiping to her ring camera app.

“Cora, you just agreed,” huffed Susan, a dangerous glint coming into her eyes. “We need three hundred homemade cupcakes specifically made for the children’s dietary restrictions.”

“Three hundred? I can’t possibly bake three hundred cupcakes.” Cora shook her head. She looked down at her phone and gasped.

Henry made it look so real, tripping over the first step and sprawling on the porch. He didn’t move a muscle as the wheeled walker slowly drifted away.

“Those cupcakes need to be iced as well,” snarkily said Susan.

“Cora, is everything okay?” questioned Dillon in concern.

“It’s Henry. I have to go,” stuttered Cora. She deliberately put the phone on the table while putting Adam in his carseat and gathering her stuff. If some of the moms happened to look at the video of Henry sprawled on the porch because the app was open, it really wasn’t Cora’s fault.

“Oh wow! He really tripped. Should you get an ambulance?” asked one of the moms in alarm. She had picked up the phone and even backed up the video to see exactly what Henry had done.

“No. It’s five minutes away. I’m just going home and I’ll decide then,” responded Cora, her voice a little tight and unnatural. She snatched her phone from the woman’s hand.

“I’ll come with you,” mentioned Dillon, standing up.

Cora blinked, there was no way she could turn down Dillon’s help. He was a part of the family. She gave a quick nod before rushing out of the room.