Address
Brennan tapped her foot in frustration as she waited outside the office of Parker's principal. She threw a glare at the oblivious office assistant as he blithely continued his phone conversation with what sounded like his mother.
"Excuse me?" Brennan interrupted, not even feeling the least bit guilty.
The assistant pulled the phone from his ear and raised his eyebrows in question. "Yes, Mrs. Booth?"
Brennan opened her mouth to correct the young man when the realization that he had addressed her correctly suddenly and surprisingly made her smile. Shaking her head at her own sentimentality, she inquired as to how long her wait would be, and did the principal realize that Brennan was very busy?
"I'll go check, just a moment." He ended his personal call and moved to open the door of the inner office, sparing an apologetic glance to the woman waiting behind him.
Once Ms. Payne finally emerged and reached out for her hand, Brennan had recovered her usual stoicism and introduced herself with her professional name. "I am Doctor Temperance Brennan, Parker's stepmother. I'm here to pick him up for a dentist appointment."
The principal looked confused for a moment. "Oh. I was unaware that Mr. Booth had gotten married." Brennan could have sworn she saw what looked like disappointment in the other woman's gaze.
"Yes, we are married. I was under the impression that Rebecca, Parker's mother, had contacted you about adding my name to Parker's contact list quite a long time ago. Is there a problem with my presence?" Brennan shared the principal's confusion. She and Booth had been sure Parker's mother had contacted the school several years ago.
Looking at the file now in her hands, Ms. Payne shook her head. "Not at all. I apologize, Mrs.- uh, Mrs. Booth." She swallowed visibly and then looked to Brennan in question. "Or do you prefer Doctor Brennan?"
Again, the smile graced her face as she took her seat across from the other woman. "In this setting, Mrs. Booth is fine." And besides, the way her new moniker appeared to make Ms. Payne uncomfortable made Brennan herself feel a little smug.
Not that anyone else would ever, ever know about that. Especially Booth.