“No,” I say, shaking my head.
“Christ, yeah. The temper on her when she saw something like that going down. I’m glad it was you there because I’d have been bailing her out of jail.” Liam chuckles and shakes his head. “She was half bats, that one. But I loved her for it.”
We sit in silence for a minute. He seems lost in his memory, and for my part, I don’t know what to say or even think. Liam sighs, his frown returning. “It's my fault she doesn't fit in. It's got nothing to do with her hair or her clothes—well, maybe a little bit—but the truth is, I let her be different. All that stuff she believes about her mom and the baby being mermaids … it puts people off, you know?"
"Well, that's their problem, not hers. I think it’s beautiful. It gives her hope and it makes her happy. And for a child who’s had so much sorrow, how could you take even a tiny bit of her happiness away?”
My insistent tone causes Walt to jump off Liam’s lap and trot out of the room.
I watch him, then turn to Liam. “She's got more imagination than I'll ever have, and that's a rare gift. It’s not something we should let the world take away from her."
He looks up at me. "You just said we."
"I’m sorry. I heard it as soon as it came out of my mouth. I'm overstepping my bounds.” I run both hands through my hair. “For someone who claims she never gets attached, I’ve certainly proven myself to be a liar."
Liam tilts his head, giving me an intense stare. “What are we doing here, Abby?”
“Having our morning site meeting?”
“Don’t do that.”
“I’m sorry.” And I am. “It’s just so hard to admit. I’m more me when I’m around the two of you than when I’m with anyone else in the world.” Closing my eyes for a second, I can barely get the words out. “Even more than with Isaac. And I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I love it. I love … how I feel when I’m with you,andwith Olive.”
I risk a glance at those eyes of his, and feel my heart break, like I knew it would. “I also know it doesn’t matter what I love because you need someone strong who always knows what to do. Someone who can keep her shit together, and that’s not me. I just don’t have it in me.”
“What if you do but you don’t know it yet?”
I start to shake my head, but the sound of his cell phone interrupts me. He glances at it, his eyebrows knitting together. “That’s the school.”
He stands and answers his phone, turning to the window. “She did what?”
There’s a long pause, then he says, “No, of course I understand. I’ll be right down.”
When he hangs up, he looks at me. “I have to go pick up Olive. She’s been suspended for punching Mercedes Tanner in the face.”
“What?” I stand and follow him to the door, trying not to smile.
“She must have a hell of a right cross because she gave her a bloody nose.” He opens the door, then looks at me, fighting a grin.
“You want me to come with—?” I start, then shake my head. “No, probably best if I wait here.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
* * *
Liam’s demeanor has changed when he returns with Olive. He’s in disappointed, don’t-ever-do-it-again dad mode. Olive’s face is red from crying and I can tell by his face he’s had to give her a lecture he doesn’t believe and he hates himself for it. I watch her pull off her backpack, her breath catching every few seconds, and I want to wrap my arms around her and hold her until it stops. Instead, I unzip her coat for her and put it on the bench by the front door, unsure if a hug would be the equivalent of saying it’s okay to hit someone.
“You probably heard,” she says. Her chest heaves as she chokes out, “I’m a big bully now.”
I cover my mouth with one hand, trying not to laugh while at the same time, trying not to cry. “Oh, Olive. You’re not a bully.”
“I had to go to the principal’s office and watch a video about violence and bullies.” She burst into tears again. “Seth says my next stop will be juvie hall.” Snot rolls out of her nose, but she takes no notice of it.
“Oh, sweetheart, you’re a long way from juvie hall.” I take her hand and walk her to the bathroom where I get some tissues and hold them up to her nose. “Blow.”
She does as I said while the hiccups continue. Liam stands at the door to the bathroom and looks down at her with slumped shoulders.
“I have to go pee,” she says, walking over to the toilet and starting to pull down her leggings.
