A scream coming from the room gets us running back in.
“No!” Megan screams as a blond-haired kid stares at her, looking terrified. George.
Ellis is already right next to the kids by the time we join them.
“What happened?” Fletcher asks, kneeling on the floor.
George runs into his arms, hiding his face against his dad’s chest.
“George took my book,” Megan says with an accusatory tone.
“Megan.” I crouch to her level, and she comes over to me. “Is that really the truth?”
She looks down at the book in her hands and her face goes a little pink. Just as I thought.
My eyes meet Fletcher’s, but he pulls his gaze away.
“So, who do we have here? I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” I say, hoping to sound gentle enough that George will look at me.
When he does, I can’t help smiling over how he’s the spitting image of his dad, minus the long hair.
“I’m George,” he says shyly. “But everyone calls me Gigi.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Harrison.” I stretch my hand out.
George looks at Fletcher for permission. When his dad nods, he shakes my hand.
“I was trying to help Megan,” he says.
“I don’t need help,” Megan says.
“I’m sorry. I was trying to make up for pushing you too high.”
Megan doesn’t acknowledge George’s apology, which is disappointing. I know she probably wants to think it through in private, but I can’t leave the room without the kids clearing the air between them.
“Honey, it sounds to me like George is apologizing to you,” I say.
“But I didn’t like it when he pushed me too high. I was scared.”
“I’m sure you were, but I don’t think George did it on purpose.”
“Maybe.”
She stares down at the book between her hands for a moment before she looks at George.
“Do you want to play with me tomorrow?” she asks.
George beams and pushes away from his dad’s arms to give Megan a hug. I ruffle his hair. “Well done, buddy.” I kiss Megan’s hair. “You too, honey.”
“Do you want to help me find the pirate book?” George asks.
“Okay.”
And with that, the kids run off to the library area at the back of the room.
“And we get to live another day,” Ellis says with a chuckle.
I smile and then glance at Fletcher, who’s staring at me with a look I can’t read.
