he said, “but please slow down. You’re lucky it was me on patrol.”
Who else would it have been? Her father’s partner had retired two years before, and he’d been the only law enforcer in the town since. Finding a new sheriff was proving to be difficult. “You’re the only one in town.”
“For now,” he said, sounding noncommittal. “Anyway, slow down. I will give you a ticket next time.”
He didn’t make idle threats. “Okay. Oh, and, Dad, don’t say anything about David...”
“You know I won’t. If you need anything...” He shrugged and shook his head. “You still won’t call,” he finished. “Bye, darling.”
“Bye, Dad.” Melody rolled up the window and waited until he was back in the squad car before pulling the van onto the road. She wished her family could understand her need to do things on her own. It was against their advice that she’d started dating Patrick...and then married him. They’d claimed that as a musician, he didn’t have a steady income. When she’d gotten pregnant with the boys, they’d questioned his commitment to his family, what with him being on the road almost every weekend. But she’d believed in him. In them.
Pushing the thoughts away, she parked the van in the parents’-pickup-only parking near the front of the school. She jogged through the slushy puddles of melted snow and ice in her running shoes, toward the entrance. Inside, she stomped her feet on the mat before making her way to the principal’s office. Michael Thompson sat on the bench outside the door, an ice pack pressed to his eye. Oh, no, she thought as realization dawned on her. The two boys had been on the outs lately. She’d noticed the looks between them at hockey practice, and David hadn’t invited Michael to their house since the first week of school. Come to think of it, Michael hadn’t attended the boys’ birthday party last month, either. “Hi, Michael,” she said.
He ignored her, simply turning his tear-stained cheeks away.
Entering the principal’s office, she saw David, head in his hands, slumped over in a chair across from the secretary. His eyes met Melody’s and a look of sadness flickered in them momentarily before it was replaced with stubbornness and anger. She was taken aback—she’d never seen such a look on his young face before. But she was relieved to see he wasn’t hurt. Michael was much taller and heavier than David.
Melody directed her gaze at the secretary, Amy. “So what’s going on?” She resolved to give David the benefit of the doubt. Let him explain what had happened between Michael and him. Her own parents had always treated their children fairly in disciplinary situations, and it was a practice she’d adopted with her own children.
“Principal Andrews has ordered a two-day suspension for David,” Amy said as she stood and slid the paperwork toward Melody.
Melody stared at her. “Why?” She could guess, but she wanted to know for sure.
“Physical violence against a classmate. The school has a zero-tolerance policy.” Amy pointed to that section of the report.
That was all it said. No explanation of what had transpired between the boys to cause the fight. “Do we know what happened?”
Amy shook her head. “It was during lunchtime, and the teacher on duty arrived after it occurred. Principal Andrews questioned David a few minutes ago, but David refused to say what had provoked him.”
Well, something clearly had. Neither of her children had ever demonstrated violent tendencies before. Not even in sports. “Is Principal Andrews available?” Melody refused to sign the suspension form without first receiving more information. A suspension stayed on the child’s permanent school record—it wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
“He’s with the Thompsons now. I can schedule you for tomorrow sometime,” she said, glancing at her calendar.
Melody had to work the following day at Play Hard Sports, and after running out on the exam, she couldn’t ask for more time off. “That won’t work. I’ll have to call in the morning to set up a meeting later in the week.” Inwardly, she winced. Because of her busy work schedule, things like this were always being put off—important things, things that should be top of her priority list. But then where would eating and having a roof over their heads fall?
“Okay. I’ll still need your signature on the suspension form, though.”
“I’ll sign it once I speak to Principal Andrews.” She turned to David. “Let’s go.”
David stood, pushing the chair roughly against the wall behind him.
“You’re on thin ice,” Melody warned.
He scowled as he left the office and glared at Michael as he passed him.
Melody waited until he’d climbed into the van beside her before she spoke. “What happened?”
David only stared outside, his lips locked.
“I can’t talk to Principal Andrews about lifting the suspension if I don’t know what happened.”
Still nothing.
“Did Michael hit you?” David didn’t appear to have any marks, but maybe...
Nothing.
“Did he say something to upset you?”
Silence.
Melody fought to keep her exasperation at bay. Today was not the day for her son to be stubborn. She couldn’t help him if he refused to talk. “David, talk to me.”
“He deserved it” was all David said.
“No one deserves a black eye. Not for any reason. You know that. I thought Michael was your friend. What’s been going on with you two?”
“None of your business.”
Melody gaped. Who was this kid in her van? Not the child she’d raised to have manners and be respectful. “Excuse me? It is my business when my son gets suspended for violence.” She took a deep breath. Stay calm, she reminded herself. She’d get nowhere by yelling. “I can’t help you if you won’t talk to me.”
“You never have time to listen, anyway.”
The hurtful words tore a hole through her heart. She knew he missed having her around, the way she had been when Patrick was alive, but what choice did she have? She had been so close to changing things. Hadn’t she explained that to him? With the promotion from Play Hard would have come the opportunity to make things better with her children. To spend more time with them. “I’m listening now.”
His defiant stare met hers and sent a shiver through her. “I’ve got nothing to say now.”
* * *
“SO TELL ME about your family,” Bridget Marilyn asked in her smooth Southern drawl. She had warm, chocolate-colored eyes and dark hair that curled around her shoulders, which were only partially concealed by her pink tank top. Under any other circumstance, sitting next to the beautiful woman with the sun-kissed skin and Southern manners for two hours on the plane from Nashville to New Jersey would have been Brad’s idea of the perfect way
