The brass hinges gave a low groan as Claire pushed the doors wide open.

Several people in the back row turned to glare at the noise.

The main auditorium was a huge sea of parents sitting in velvet folding chairs.

They clapped politely as a minor official spoke at a wooden podium on the stage.

The sharp smell of lemon floor wax drifted up from the polished aisles, mixing with the scent of expensive perfume.

Claire kept her hands lightly on Eli’s and Owen’s shoulders, guiding them down the left wall toward the front rows.