“Sam wouldn’t say much, but from what a few other kids said, Clyde told her she was an idiot and couldn’t draw.Her writing was terrible.She was a horrible speller, and he hated that he got partnered with the stupidest person in the class.That if they got a bad grade, it was going to be all her fault and he wouldn’t let her forget it.”
My fists bunched at my sides.“And what did Sam do?”
“She put her head down on the desk and started using her scissors to destroy her white eraser.”
“And she made an enormous mess all over the floor,” Otto added.“A disruptor.”
Cheryl glanced at him.“I used my hand-vacuum.Took fifteen seconds to clean up.Not a big deal.Or a big mess.”
“That was it?”I asked.
Cheryl grimaced.“Not quite.He started to harass her, saying that she wasn’t helping.That she was useless, and—”
“Where were you during this?”I asked her.
Guilt shimmered in her gray eyes.“I was trying to get him to stop.But as you know, Clyde is … difficult.”
Otto made a noise of disagreement in his throat, which Cheryl and I both ignored.
“Okay.Then what?”
“She had an episode,” Otto blurted out.“I told you that.”
“She lifted her head, got right up into his face, and just started screaming,” Cheryl finally said.“She backed him into a corner, yelling loudly in his face until I put a hand on her shoulder.Then she blinked and kind of snapped out of it, only to burst into tears and run out of the room.”
I nodded slowly and swallowed.“Thank you.”
“I’m really sorry, Danica,” she said.“It’s not an easy class, or group of kids.I really am trying my best.”
“I know you are,” I whispered, reaching out and giving her arm a squeeze.
Cheryl’s head bobbed and she opened the door to her class, closing it a moment later.
I didn’t even bother to look at, let alone address, Otto Pickford.I just spun around on my heel and stalked back down the corridor toward the front door.But he was right behind me.Like a wasp at a picnic.Buzzing and bothersome, and in need of a good swat.
“Your daughter is a menace,” he prattled on, following me to the front door.“The way she yelled at that young boy.You should be ashamed.”
I continued to ignore him, yanked open the front door, and marched to the driver’s side of my RAV.
“Did you hear me, Danica?”he hollered.“You need to get control of your child.Or she won’t be welcome here at San Camanez Elementary anymore.”
I considered meeting his gaze before I slid behind the steering wheel, but if I did, I’d probably say something I’d regret.I already knew it was going to take every ounce of self-control not to drive up onto the curb and run him over.
So instead, I simply climbed into my seat, fastened my belt, and drove off, leaving his ruddy, flustered face in my rearview mirror.
Neither Sam nor I said anything for a while as I drove.Not until I pulled up to Heaven’s Leap, a lovely little view spot on the top of a cliff.I turned off the ignition.
“Up here,” I said to her, jerking my head to indicate she should climb into the front passenger seat.
It was too cold and windy to sit outside, but we could still watch the seabirds ride the wind gusts like kite surfers and have our mother-daughter chat.
She clambered into the front seat, watching me warily.
I sucked in a deep breath, unbuckled my belt, and pivoted to face her tear-stained face.“All right, now let’s hear your version.”
CHAPTER TWO
Danica
