"May I have a word with you, Mrs. Warren?" This wasn't a question Lorraine expected to hear from Judy's preschool teacher when she picked her daughter up from school that day. Naturally, the worst-case scenarios went through her head: Did Judy get hurt earlier? Was a child mean to her daughter? Did her own child do something to upset someone (though Lorraine hardly thought this last question was plausible, as Judy was very well-behaved)?
"Yes," Lorraine looked over at her daughter, who was playing with another classmate whose own mother hadn't arrived yet. "Is everything okay?"
"Oh yes!" Judy's teacher, Ms. Michael, said reassuringly. "Actually, Judy did something very nice today that I wanted to share with you,"
Relief flooded through Lorraine. She was still getting used to the idea that her little girl was now in preschool, even if Judy was already accustomed to it. Maybe this was how Ed felt when the two of them were working dangerous cases: the need to protect someone they felt was more vulnerable, even if they were making an incorrect assumption.
"I'm glad to hear that," Lorraine smiled. "What happened today?"
"Well," Ms. Michael started, "As you know, today was the in-class Halloween party,"
Lorraine nodded. Both she and Ed sat Judy down the other day to talk to their daughter about the differences of reality and fiction in Halloween themes. "They're not celebrating the evil things we go after," Ed had said. "Your class will be celebrating it with things like happy-looking ghosts and creatures,"
"Like the puppets on the television shows you watch," Lorraine had added.
"Right. And with things like candy and cupcakes,"
"I like cupcakes!" Judy had exclaimed.
Her excitement had made Ed and Lorraine happy. "Then you'll like the party as well!"
Now, Lorraine was finding out some of the other students hadn't taken the images of ghosts and ghouls as well as their daughter had, even if the images were cheerful and cartoon-y.
"One of the other girls, Isabelle, was scared of some of the paper cut-out decorations that were shaped like ghosts," Ms. Michael explained. "You daughter, on the other hand, was quick to comfort Isabelle when she began to cry. Judy patted her on the shoulder and said things like 'It's okay, that's just paper, not a ghost,' and 'Ghosts like that don't exist,'"
Lorraine felt a swell of pride. Parenthood could be difficult at times, but hearing how her daughter cared for another scared child cemented the idea that she and Ed were raising their daughter correctly.
"I'm so glad to hear that's how Judy reacted," Lorraine said earnestly. "Thank you for sharing this with me. Was Isabelle okay afterwards?"
"Yes," Ms. Michael turned to Judy and the child in the play area. "As a matter of fact, I'd say the two of them became friends today,"