Chapter 69: Interlude Thoma Family
When the icy grasp of fear for her youngest son grasped Maria Thoma’s heart, the glass in her hand came apart in her grip as she reflexively tightened it.
Thankfully, for all that she hadn’t reached anywhere near the Level of her children, she was at a level of enhancement that let her catch the shards before they skewered the kindergartener currently standing before her with a book she’d like to have read to her.
The child blinked up at Maria with wide eyes, not quite sure what had just happened. And if it were up to her kindergarten teacher, she never would.
Blinking the already forming tears out of her eyes, Maria gave a quick apology and muttered something about having to throw away the broken glass before spinning on her heels and hurrying out of the room as quickly as she could without alarming any of the children.
Kids that young … if they saw one of the adults trusted to watch over them appearing to flee, they might believe there was an actual danger.
Even so, something about what she was doing had clearly caught her boss’ attention, the older woman poking her head out of her office as she passed.
Catherine Grey had already been old when the [System] had arrived, and been long since in a position to retire, much like Maria herself, but neither of them had felt able to simply stop.
Either of them might one day decide the young children of the day were not ones they wanted to watch over for half the day, but for right now, neither of them felt that impulse.
“What’s wrong, Maria?” the older woman asked, voice gentle.