single moms are ugly... and other lies | clexa AU

one

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Lexa always stays in the small café a little longer than it actually works for her schedule. She enjoys the quiet atmosphere, the calmness, the smell of coffee that has soaked into the wooden furniture and colorful mini table cloths. Most importantly though, she feels obliged to observe the young girl standing by the side of the road each Thursday at 4 p.m., waiting for her dad to pick her up after work.

Mr. Parks is a kind but busy man, which is why he's mostly a few minutes too late to pick his daughter up from her math tutoring lesson. Lexa, as Imani's tutor, feels she has to watch out for the vibrant and open girl so that no stranger would pick up on her absolute obsession with rabbits and promise a baby rabbit in the back of his car, or whatever could happen to a girl of eight.

Her phone buzzes and she picks it up to text Octavia it might take five minutes longer until she's home. Her roommate's car broke down the week before and since it's been unavailable, she's been more than interested in Lexa coming home on time, with her car and her keys.

It's not Octavia. Lexa knows that Octavia likes to be at the gym at 4.30 on Thursdays and wonders that she's not yet stressing Lexa out to hurry. Maybe Lincoln is going to pick her up today.

The text she got is from an unknown number, and Lexa assumes that it's a new client who got her number from her boss.

The number's profile picture is of a sunset. Legimate to think it's a parent.

Safe enough to open.

Hello Ms. Woods,

I received your number from Mrs. Reyes after talking to her about tutoring for my children. She recommended you to me, and I hope we can find an agreement.
My son Aden is in his last year of middleschool and as the highschool he will be attending next school year requires French as a subject, he needs tutoring in that. He's had French for the last two years, but it's always been his weakest subject and he needs to start again from the basics.
His twin sister Madi skipped 8th grade and deals okay with all subjects but maths, in which she needs tutoring to catch up with her class.
Seeing that you teach both these topics for their level makes you a great option for a tutor. It would be helpful to know your schedule to compare it to ours, I'm flexible with payment options. I'll be glad to hear from you.

Clarke Griffin

Alright. Lexa learns a lot from her job daily, and one of these things is replying to formal texts. (Which is just a bit harder than replying to formal e-mails, although the concept is the same. She's just glad there is no blushy smiley emojis or monkeys with hands over their eyes or whatever emojis moms use etiquette here)

Hello Mrs. Griffin,

Thank you for your text. I would be glad to teach your children in their respective subjects. Attached to this message is my work schedule, feel free to review it and let me know a time that works for you.

Lexa Woods

The reply doesn't take long. Lexa's new client texts her the times that work for her and her children, they agree on a way of payment and on a place where Lexa will meet Mrs. Griffin's children.

It ends up to be their apartment, which isn't very unusual for people who are busy and don't have time to pick their children up from anywhere, or who just like to know what the stranger that's going to tutor their child is doing at that time.

Mrs. Griffin's text ends with I'm not married anymore, by the way, you don't have to address me with Mrs. :)

Crap.