Husband's Betrayal, My Loss

Synopsis

My second-graders were working on their art projects when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I ignored it at first, focused on helping Emma with her watercolor technique. The classroom hummed with the pleasant chaos of twenty-eight children creating masterpieces with more enthusiasm than skill. "Mrs. Hayes, look!" Tommy held up a paint-splattered paper. "It's my dog!" I smiled, squinting to make out the blob that supposedly resembled a golden retriever. "That's wonderful, Tommy. I can really see the—" My phone buzzed again. And again. And again. A cold finger of dread traced down my spine. No one called repeatedly unless something was wrong. "Keep working, everyone," I said, my voice suddenly tight. "I need to check something." I stepped into the hallway, pulling my phone from my pocket. Six missed calls from numbers I didn't recognize, and one voicemail. With trembling fingers, I pressed play. "Mrs. Hayes? This is Officer Ramirez with Chicago PD. There's been an incident at Sunshine Daycare. Please call me back immediately." The world tilted sideways. Sunshine Daycare. Where my mother-in-law Eleanor had taken Lily for their Thursday afternoon playdate before picking her up. My knees nearly buckled. I called the number back, pressing the phone so hard against my ear it hurt. "Officer Ramirez." "This is Sarah Hayes. You called about Sunshine Daycare? My daughter—" "Mrs. Hayes." His voice dropped. "There's been a shooting. Your daughter and an older woman—" "My mother-in-law," I whispered. "They've been transported to Chicago General.