Short story: FALL in Love, Part 1

School pick-up lines were the bane of Nicki’s existence. 

Today, her fourth-grader Courtney had reminded her only seconds before she’d hopped out of the car that the costume for her part in her class musical was due to be turned in tomorrow. 

Her second-grader Ethan had only given Nicki a toothy smile before he’d climbed out of the backseat of the car. She’d seen a smudge of pean...