It was becoming a routine, the days Elliot had to work past 3pm during the week, and nobody else could pick Genevieve up from school. It had only been a text message asking her today. Chelsea was packing groceries into the trunk of her car when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She drove to the school straight from the store, with Jack sleeping soundly in his car seat in the back. Smiled at him in her rearview mirror. Music on low, humming along to the words. She parked in her normal spot and watched out the window as school children started to emerge from the building. And there was Jenny, gripping the straps of the bag on her back. Only, instead of approaching Chelsea’s car, she started walking in the opposite direction. 

Rolling down her window, Chelsea called for her. She couldn’t get her attention. Pulling the key out of the ignition, Chelsea grabbed her purse and Jack out of the backseat. “I know, I’m sorry, buddy.” She hushed against his skin as he started crying, being woken from a light sleep. “Jenny!” Chelsea shouted. She was a little on edge. Where was she going? Hoped she wasn’t being lured out to another car, ‘cause... Alex, he’d been taken from school. Elliot had given Chelsea one job-- so she was quick when her feet hit the pavement. When Jenny stopped at a car, a woman was leaning against its exterior. Getting closer, Chelsea felt her heart calm. This was a different type of panic, now. She slowed, combed her fingers through Jack’s hair. Tried to catch her breath before she greeted Genevieve’s mother and Elliot’s ex-wife, evidently here to pick up her daughter from school.

“Jenny, hi.” Chelsea said first, lips pressed into a smile, hand on the girl’s shoulder. She pulled Jack higher up her hip, holding out a hand for Lucy. “Hi, I’m Chelsea... Elliot’s girlfriend. He asked me to pick Jenny up from school. Must’ve gotten our wires crossed.” Jack was whining. Chelsea was a little bit breathless. “Oh, uh, this is my son, Jack.” 

God, she was going to kill Elliot.