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I HIRED SOMEONE THREE AFTERNOONS A WEEK

Her name was Sophie Grant.

Former preschool teacher.

Fifty-eight.

Terrifyingly organized.

The first day she arrived, she looked at my color-coded schedule and said:

“This is adorable.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s useless.”

I disliked her immediately.

The children loved her.

Mrs. Harper started taking Grace to a Saturday art program.

Calvin adjusted shop hours so I could leave by four.

A church group I wasn’t even a member of somehow discovered we needed clothes and dropped off twelve bags.

I tried to refuse.

Mrs. Harper said:

“Stop being stupid.”

I accepted the clothes.

That was another kind of growth.