“Of course. I’ll be right outside. If you still want me to leave after, I will.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
When he leaves, I take Megan back to the desk she was at before and take Mike's vacated seat.
Megan looks at me with a tear-streaked face. Her brown eyes look bigger and shiny from the tears.
“I was playing with George, Ava, Sasha, Laurie, Beth, and Andrew. I wanted to be in charge of the game, but they said no because I’d never played it before. But I know the game, Daddy. I used to play the game at my old school and I was in charge all the time. They don’t know.” More tears fall down her face at her perceived injustice.
“I want to go back to my old school. I miss Jenny, Patrick, Sophie, and Mrs. Perkins.”
I run my hands over her face to clean the tears and then redo her ponytail that’s come loose.
“Baby, I know it’s hard being in a new school, but you’ll settle in. You won’t always get along with your friends, but I’m sure if you speak to George and Ava and all the other children, they’ll understand how you feel.”
She’s still trying to catch her breath after crying so much.
“What do you want to do? Do you really want to come home with me?”
She thinks about it for a moment.
“Mommy said we’re going to bake cupcakes to take to the sick kids at the hospital tomorrow. Can I go to Mommy’s?”
“Of course you can. Do you want me to take you to the hospital? Mommy is still working, but I can drop you off at the club.”
“Dr. Mike said he’s going to the hospital. Can he take me?”
I waver for a moment. Until today I’ve only heard of this guy, and now I’m supposed to trust him to take my daughter? I grab my phone and drop Stella a message. A moment later, she calls, and after some reassurance from her, I give in.
I walk out of the room with Megan. Mike is leaning against the nurse’s office doorframe. He turns when he hears us coming.
“Dr. Mike, Daddy says you can take me to the hospital.”
Mike looks adoringly at Megan. “That’s great, Megs. I’m short a copilot, so you can help me get to work.” He holds his hand up, and she gives him a high five.
“I’m sorry for my reaction,” I say honestly.
“It’s justifiable, and in your position, I’d react the same way.”
After stopping by the classroom to update Ellis, we all leave the school.
One big worry is replaced with another when I remember that now I need to get home and get ready for this evening’s function, and there’s one thing I haven’t given any thought to.
What happens when the night is over.
17
FLETCHER
My hands shakeas I stare into the mirror, rearranging my tie and straightening my jacket for the hundredth time.
After picking up George from school and dropping him off at my parents, I tried calling Harrison, but he didn’t answer.
Ellis told me what happened between the kids, so after a long conversation with George, where he told me he was very sorry about fighting with Megan, he promised that he’d apologize.
Considering Harrison’s lack of contact this afternoon, part of me thinks he’s not going to pick me up. I know it’s not his weekend with Megan, but what if he’s upset about what happened between the kids and decides he doesn’t want to have me as his date?
Snap out of it, Fletch.I think to myself.
