I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 92

Bonnie's eyes instantly brightened. "Really, Nora?"

"Of course."

"Okay!" Bonnie nodded emphatically and held out her pinky. "Pinky promise."

Nora hooked her finger around hers, and they pressed their thumbs together.

Several buses were already parked in the lot by the time they arrived at the school gates.

Bonnie dragged Nora through the crowd until they found her class's designated group.

The chaperone, a female teacher in her thirties, was checking a roster. She frowned slightly when she saw Bonnie walking over hand-in-hand with a woman.

"Bonnie, who is this? I recall you don't have a mother."

Nora's brow furrowed. The teacher's tactless delivery rubbed her the wrong way. She was clearly poking at the child's sore spot on purpose.

But Bonnie acted completely oblivious to the veiled hostility, beaming up with a bright voice. "This is Nora!"

The unexplainable animosity on Ms. Jillian Jenson's face faded slightly at the name. She forced a polite smile. "Ah, so this is Nora. Why didn't your dad come today?"

"He's sick."

Ms. Jenson's brows instantly pulled together, and she leaned in, her tone dripping with concern. "Oh? Your dad is sick? Is it serious?"

"You are such a sweet girl. When we get back tonight, I'll check on him. If he's still feeling terrible, we'll make sure he goes to the hospital."

Bonnie looked up. "He only listens to me. He never listens to anyone else."

"Then you're the boss."

Bonnie giggled, burying her face back into Nora's arm.

Just then, the teacher stepped onto the bus and clapped her hands. Standing at the front of the aisle, she cleared her throat and projected her voice. "Attention parents and kids! We're about to hit the road. Please buckle your seatbelts. The ride will take about forty minutes. Once we reach the campsite, we'll gather for roll call."

Children's emotions were fleeting. By the time Nora looked down again, Bonnie had already fallen fast asleep. Her little mouth was slightly parted, and her brow was still knitted in that adorable, worried scowl. Nora couldn't help but smile, a wave of tenderness washing over her.