Sam hadn't seen anything like the big room she and Mommy walked into. Her mouth fell open and her eyes grew wide. She didn't know where to start. So many books. The plants around the room. A kitchen that wasn't big like her parents, that was Sam-sized.
She dropped her mother's hand instantly and walked toward the basin with the crystal blue water inside. She grinned as she dipped her fingers in it. She had to fight the urge to splash in it. She knew her mother wouldn't appreciate her making a mess in someone else's room.
A kid wearing a white floppy sun hat walked up and reached for one of the toy animals in the bottom of the basin. "Horse!"
He pulled his prize out, half of his sleeve dripping wet from the impulse. Sam giggled as she reached in after him.
She turned back to the door where she'd come from, a plastic black and white zebra clutched in her hand. "Mommy!"
Sam frowned. The tall woman with her signature blonde hair was nowhere in sight. Lots of other kids. Grown-ups, too. "Mom!"
Fear pounded in her heart as she raced from the water station to where she'd last seen her mother. She weaved around the adults' legs almost made it out the door. There, walking back the way she'd come were the familiar blonde waves. "Mommy!"
Sam ran out toward her mother when another adult crouched beside her, a hand blocking her way.
Samantha struggled against it. "Let me go!"
"Samantha, I'm Mrs. Spitzmiller. I'm not going to hurt you. We're just going to play together for a little while."
Sam turned a betrayed eye in the direction of her mother, only to find that her mother had crouched beside her again. "Samantha, I told you I would have to leave you at school today, but I'll be back to pick you up at lunch time."
Tears welled up in Sam's eyes, and she wiped at them, just as angry with herself for crying as she was about getting left here.
Her mother reached out for her, and Mrs. Spitzmiller released Sam to her mother's embrace.
Sam's mother brushed back her blonde curls and kissed her forehead. "Sam, honey, you know you're my brave girl. You can do this, and when I get back, you and I will go get ice cream, okay?"
Sam shifted in her mother's arms. "Can I have blue ice cream?"
Amusement played on her mother's lips. "I don't know if there is such a thing as blue ice cream, but we'll look for some, okay?"
Sam considered this for a long moment before she sighed. "Okay."
Her mother kissed her a second time. "How about this? Instead of ice cream, when you get home we'll make some blue jello, okay? I don't know about blue ice cream, but I know I can find blue jello."
Sam grinned. "You're the smartest mommy in the whole world."
She won another hug. A third kiss. "Go to class with Mrs. Spitzmiller, Sam. I'll be back in time for lunch."
Sam hesitated a moment as she looked back at the woman who had tried to keep her from going to her mommy.
A hand rested on her cheek. "You're very brave, sweetheart. Just remember that, and you'll be fine."
Sam turned trusting eyes to her mother as she rehearsed the words her mother had told her almost all her life. "I am very brave."
Sam's mother's eyes shone with pride. "Exactly. Besides, you like to try new things. You might even have fun."
Sam looked back at the brightly colored room. Mom might have a point. It sure did look fun. She sighed heavily as she gave her mother another hug. "Okay. I'll see you for lunch."
Her mom winked. "And we'll make blue jello."
This day was definitely looking up.
