Like she wasn't ashamed enough, after Toby's inability to be quiet or to not gossip, Eli's response to her was, of all things, to look her up and down and ask how the DIY was going.<br/><br/>Gwen resisted the urge to put her hand on her hair, or to try and smooth down her clothes. Damnit.<b> Damnit</b>.<br/><br/>The first man who she had been vaguely interested in since Paul.. well, there it was, Gwen considered. They were all the same, not one of them could be trusted and come to that, they<b> were</b>all pigs. Every last gods-be-damned one of them. He was dating Miss Sinclair, and asking her how the DIY was going. She smiled, nodding. "It's going really well thanks. Everything's looking good." Unlike her, of course. Very much unlike her. She couldn't blame him, she must look a state and, frankly, Miss Sinclair didn't have Toby - or any child - and she was damn beautiful. Toby liked her, said that she was funny and kind.<br/><br/>She didn't want, or need, any man and Elijah Primeau was just another one in that list. So, she made sure to add, "I'm glad you're doing well. You look well. Nice to see you, Princess." The last, of course, was to Rosalie and Gwen smiled a genuine, fond, and caring smile at the young girl. "Come on you, let's get you home. You've got new shelves," she said to Toby and he beamed.<br/><br/>"Are they the colour of the paint in your hair, Mom?"<br/><br/>Gwen looked down at him and she couldn't hold in the laugh which bubbled out of her. "Yes, darling, they are. They're the colour of the paint in my hair, and made of the wood that I've got a splinter of in my finger. But you know what?"<br/><br/>"What, Mom?"<br/><br/>"They're made out of, filled with, and covered in love. That's good, isn't it?" Gwen ruffled his hair and Toby grinned at her.<br/><br/>Once they got into the car, Gwen sat and breathed out. She reached up a hand, yanking the hairband out of her hair, allowing her red hair to fall free. "Toby, baby, how was your day in school?" Gwen asked, and she listened as he answered. They were learning about heroes, about people who'd made history. They had to choose their favourite. "Who did you choose, Tobster?" Gwen asked.<br/><br/>"Donald Duck," he said. One glance in the rearview mirror told her that he was quite serious.<br/><br/>"Why him?" Gwen could only imagine the teacher's expression. But at Toby's next words, she felt tears prickle her eyes.<br/><br/>"He makes people laugh, Mom, and you say that's the best gift."<br/><br/>"So, I've got my shifts for the rest of this week and next," Gwen said, her voice catching in her throat. She was so damn proud of him. "I was thinking that I'd pick you up straight from school, we'll skip aftercare. What do you think Tobster?"<br/><br/>Eager nodded was her response. "I'd like that Mom."<br/><br/>Once they got home, she got his food sorted, got him in the bath, spent some time reading and playing card games with him, and then read him a story and got him to bed. Once he was in bed, she'd fired up her trusty old laptop and started researching. There had to be a way, she figured. There had to.<br/><br/>It was eleven pm by the time she closed it, but Gwen knew that<u> The Fallen Angel</u>would still be open and that Mr Rhodes would be there. So, she phoned and asked to speak to her boss -  Jeff. He was a nice enough man and, following Mr Rhodes' appraisal of her, she figured that Jeff was at least partially pleased with her. So, she called him up. "Hey Jeff, it's Gwen Whitmore. Yeah. Listen, I know I said I'm strict on my timings, but it turns out, I've got a sitter and I need the cash. So, can you fix me up with more shifts? Not this week, after the gig?"<br/><br/>He - very aware that her red hair, green eyes, and lithe body were a winning combination, no matter how much she tried to hide it - agreed. Gwen thanked him, put the phone down and nodded. Then, after some time on the computer, she wrote a note for Mrs Quincey. In it, she explained the situation.<br/><br/>"Hey, Mrs Q,<br/><br/>I've decided that I've got to take control of this. So, I'm going back to school. Going to get the education I should have got. I surely hope that you meant it when you said you'd be a sitter any time, Mrs Q, because I'm going to really need your help.  I'll catch up with you tomorrow to talk it through. But if you want to say no, then just put a note back through the door with that written on it, and I'll never mention it again.<br/><br/>Love,<br/><br/>Guinevere."<br/><br/>She posted it through Mrs Quincey's door and then made her way to the bathroom, to brush her teeth and get ready for bed. Glancing out of the window as she brushed her teeth, she sighed. Spitting, then rinsing her mouth out with mouthwash, Gwen looked out again at the stars. "We'll be ok, Toby," she whispered, and got herself to bed. Tomorrow, she decided, they were going to be late for drop off - and avoid the other parents. Especially the male kind with ink and kindness.  Punching her pillow harder than she needed to, Gwen didn't think about why sleep came so slowly to her that night. It must be because she was excited about the thought of going back to school she was sure.