Chapter 7: The Breakdown

Elena burst through the heavy doors of St. Mary's Academy, her heels clicking rapidly against the polished floor. The hallways were empty and quiet, an eerie contrast to the panic racing through her body.

A woman in a cardigan appeared from a side office. "Mrs. Ashford?"

"Yes, where is she? Where is Lily?"

"Please follow me. She's in the nurse's office with Principal Morrison."

Elena's hands trembled as she walked. Her mind was racing with terrible possibilities. Injured. Sick. Hurt. The woman had said Lily was upset, not injured, but Elena's fear would not listen to reason.

The nurse's office door was open. Elena saw her daughter immediately.

Lily sat on the examination table, small and hunched, her face blotchy and red from crying. Her costume from the drama performance was rumpled, and her hair had come loose from its careful style.

"Lily," Elena said softly.

The child's head jerked up. For one long moment, mother and daughter stared at each other across the small room.

Then Lily's face crumpled. "Mommy."

Elena closed the distance in three steps and pulled her daughter into her arms. Lily was stiff at first, her body rigid with confusion and hurt. But Elena held on, whispering gentle words, stroking her daughter's hair.

Slowly, gradually, Lily began to soften. Her arms came up and wrapped around Elena's waist. Her face pressed against Elena's shoulder. Her breathing, which had been quick and panicked, started to slow.

"It's okay, baby," Elena murmured. "Mommy's here. I'm right here."

A tall woman in professional clothes stood near the door. She stepped forward and extended her hand. "Mrs. Ashford, I'm Principal Morrison. Thank you for coming so quickly."

Elena nodded, keeping one arm around Lily. "What happened?"

The drama teacher, a younger woman with kind eyes, spoke up from her position by the window. "Lily was performing in our drama club showcase tonight. She had a monologue piece she'd been working on for weeks. But when she got on stage, she just froze."

"Froze?" Elena repeated.

"She stood there for about thirty seconds without speaking. The other students tried to help, giving her prompts, but she didn't respond. Then she started crying. Right there on stage in front of everyone."

Elena felt Lily press harder against her side.

"Several students went to help her," the teacher continued. "But Lily became very upset. She kept asking for someone to call her mother. She was shaking and crying so hard that we brought her here to calm down."

Principal Morrison added, "We followed the emergency contact protocol. Miss Sterling was listed first, so we tried calling her. She didn't answer. We left two voicemail messages. Then we tried Mr. Ashford, who said he was in meetings and would come when he could. You were third on the list."

Elena's jaw tightened, but she kept her voice calm. "How long ago did this happen?"

"About an hour and fifteen minutes," the nurse said quietly.

An hour and fifteen minutes. Lily had been in distress for over an hour while Elena was at a gala, completely unaware.

"Lily, sweetheart, can you look at me?" Elena asked gently.

The child lifted her head. Her eyes were swollen and red, her cheeks wet with tears.

"Can you tell me what happened? Why were you so scared?"

Lily's voice came out small and broken. "I don't know. I got on the stage and everyone was looking at me and I couldn't remember my lines. I tried but my brain wouldn't work. Then I couldn't breathe right and everything felt wrong."

"That sounds like a panic attack," Elena said, looking at the adults for confirmation.

Principal Morrison nodded. "That's what we suspected. Has Lily experienced anything like this before?"

Elena shook her head, but uncertainty crept in. Had there been signs she missed? Times when Lily seemed anxious that Elena dismissed as normal childhood nerves?

"Actually," Principal Morrison continued, her voice careful, "this isn't the first concerning incident we've noticed with Lily recently."

Elena stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"There have been three separate occasions this month where teachers have reported that Lily seemed unusually withdrawn or anxious. She's been quieter in class, less engaged with friends during recess. Last week, she fell asleep during math class, which is very unlike her."

"Why wasn't I informed about this?" Elena asked, trying to keep accusation out of her voice.

"We contacted Mr. Ashford each time," the principal said. "He assured us that everything was fine at home and that Lily was just adjusting to some family changes."

Family changes. The new baby. Vivian's constant presence. Elena's absence.

"I should have been told," Elena said firmly. "I'm her mother. I have partial custody. I should be included in all communications about her wellbeing."

Principal Morrison looked uncomfortable. "Mr. Ashford indicated that he was the primary contact for school matters."

"That's changing immediately," Elena said. "I want to be added to all communications. Every single one. If something happens with my daughter, I need to know."

"Of course. We'll update our records first thing tomorrow."

The door opened and Marcus walked in, still wearing his suit from whatever meeting he'd been in. His hair was slightly disheveled, like he'd been running his hands through it.

"Lily," he said, relief evident in his voice.

But Lily didn't move toward him. Instead, she pressed closer to Elena, her hand gripping her mother's arm tightly.

Marcus stopped, something flickering across his face. Hurt, maybe. Or surprise.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at the adults rather than at Elena.

The drama teacher explained again while Marcus listened with growing tension in his jaw. When she finished, he turned to Lily.

"Why didn't you tell me you were nervous about the performance? I could have helped you prepare."

Lily didn't answer. She kept her face turned away from him, her fingers twisted in the fabric of Elena's dress.

Marcus's expression shifted to something Elena had never quite seen before. He was looking at his daughter with an intensity that seemed almost like fear. But it was more than that. It was recognition.

His child needed her mother. Not just any mother figure, not the woman he'd chosen to replace Elena. His daughter needed Elena specifically, desperately, and he'd kept them apart.

"I'm taking her home with me tonight," Elena said. It wasn't a question.

Marcus opened his mouth, probably to argue about custody schedules and court orders. But then he looked at Lily again, really looked at her, and saw the way she clung to Elena like a lifeline.

"Okay," he said quietly. "Just for tonight."

"We'll discuss more permanent arrangements later," Elena said. "Right now, she needs to rest."

Principal Morrison cleared her throat. "Lily, do you feel well enough to walk to the car?"

Lily nodded against Elena's shoulder.

Elena helped her daughter stand, keeping one arm around her. Lily's legs were shaky, and she leaned heavily against her mother.

"I'll call tomorrow to discuss her returning to school," Elena told the principal. "And to make sure my contact information is properly updated."

"Of course. Lily, we'll see you when you're ready to come back. Take all the time you need."

As they walked toward the exit, Lily between them, Marcus tried once more. "Lily, sweetheart, are you sure you don't want to come home with Daddy?"

Lily's response was barely a whisper. "I want Mommy."

Those three words hung in the air like a verdict.

Elena saw the impact hit Marcus, watched him absorb what his choices had cost. He'd spent months pushing Vivian into Lily's life, creating a replacement family, sending Elena away. And now his daughter was choosing the mother he'd tried to erase.

Outside, Dominic's car still waited at the curb. He stood beside it, patient and silent. When he saw Elena emerge with Lily, he opened the back door without asking questions.

"Thank you," Elena mouthed.

He nodded and helped Lily into the car while Elena turned back to Marcus.

"I'll bring her things by tomorrow," Marcus said stiffly.

"Fine." Elena paused. "Marcus, she's been struggling. For weeks apparently. And nobody told me."

"I thought I could handle it."

"She's not a business problem to handle. She's our daughter. And she needed me."

Elena got into the car before he could respond. Through the window, she saw him standing alone in the parking lot, watching them drive away.

Lily fell asleep against Elena's shoulder within minutes, exhausted from the emotional storm. Elena held her daughter close, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair, feeling the weight of her child in her arms.

For the first time in months, Lily had chosen her. Had called for her. Had needed her.

It was a beginning. Small, fragile, built on pain and crisis. But it was a beginning nonetheless.