“Yep. It’s a special Friday treat. What do you say?”

“Yay!” Sophie practically danced her way to the car, her ponytail bouncing behind her.

I smiled to myself, the bitterness of Karen’s betrayal easing just a little at the sight of Sophie’s joy.

As expected, Karen was waiting outside with Emily.

“Good morning, Lena!” Karen chirped, her smile bright but her eyes sharp, assessing. “Thanks again for doing this. You’re such a lifesaver.”

“Oh, no problem at all,” I replied, matching her fake cheerfulness with some of my own. “It’s always a pleasure.”

Sophie and Emily climbed into the backseat, chatting away about their favorite YouTube videos, and I pulled out of the driveway, waving to Karen as we drove off.

I could feel her eyes on us, probably already mentally checking off another morning of childcare that she didn’t have to worry about.

But today, things were different.

Instead of taking the usual route to school, I turned left at the next intersection, heading straight for Rosie’s. Emily noticed immediately.

“Miss Richards? Aren’t we supposed to go that way?” she asked.

“We’re stopping for donuts this morning, Emily,” I said with a wink.

Emily looked confused. “Won’t we be late?”

I glanced at her in the rearview mirror and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll get there in time.”

Except that wasn’t exactly true. By the time we reached the donut shop, we were already cutting it close. But I wasn’t in any rush. We strolled inside, and I let the girls pick out their favorite treats.

“Mom, this is the best day ever!” Sophie exclaimed, her mouth full of a donut.

I smiled, savoring the moment. “Glad you think so, sweetie.”

We took our time eating, chatting about nothing in particular, while the clock ticked on. I wasn’t usually the type to make my kid late for school, but this wasn’t about Sophie or Emily. This was about making a point.

By the time we finally left Rosie’s, the morning rush had died down, and the roads were blissfully empty.

When we finally pulled up to the school, the parking lot was nearly empty. I could see the school staff starting to pack up from the morning drop-off, and I felt a twinge of guilt. But it was quickly drowned out by the satisfaction of knowing Karen was probably already fuming.

“Alright, girls, here we are,” I said as I parked the car. “Have a great day, and don’t forget to tell your teachers we had a special morning!”

Sophie grinned, giving me a quick hug before she and Emily hurried inside. As I watched them go, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the fallout.

Sure enough, when I got back home, Karen was standing on her porch, arms crossed, waiting for me. She looked like she was trying to keep it together, but her eyes were practically blazing with anger.

“Lena, what happened? Emily was late for school! I thought you were going to drop them off on time!” she snapped the moment I stepped out of the car.

I walked up to her, keeping my expression as innocent as possible. “Oh, Karen, I’m so sorry! But you know how it is.”

Her jaw tightened, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. “I see,” she said through gritted teeth. “Well, try not to let it happen again.”

“Or maybe you could take Emily yourself? Just a thought.”

Karen didn’t reply. She just turned on her heel and marched back inside, slamming the door behind her. I watched her go, feeling a wave of triumph wash over me. It wasn’t often that I stood up for myself, but this time, it felt good. Really good.

And that was the last time Karen ever asked me to take Emily to school. From then on, she made sure to get her daughter ready early enough to handle the drive herself.

She also avoided me whenever possible, clearly embarrassed and resentful, but I didn’t mind. She’d finally learned her lesson.

And I’d finally learned mine too. Being a good neighbor doesn’t mean being a doormat. Sometimes, you’ve got to stand up for yourself, even if it means taking the scenic route to get there.