“So we know that Maya pushed Eloise,” the principal said, as if that settled things.
“Did Maya saywhyshe pushed Eloise?” Miss Lawrence asked, leaning forward suddenly.
Her bright voice was friendly, but Ash could sense that the answer was important to her.
“No,” Miss Erin said. “Her bus was about to leave too.”
“Okay,” Miss Lawrence said. “I think we’d better bring her in and find out what was happening yesterday.”
“Does it matter?” Mrs. Lewis asked, arching a brow. “Nothing would justify what she did.”
“Talking about it could help her know what to do next time,” the principal said gently. “Should we bringboth girls in?”
“Yes, please,” said Miss Lawrence.
“I’ll get them,” Miss Erin said, heading for the door.
“Thank you,” the principal told her. “And I know you’ve got bus duty, so it’s fine for you to go now.”
Miss Erin slunk out the door, looking even more relieved.
A moment later, Eloise came in and stood beside her mother. Maya followed, her eyes still cast down, and came to Ash.
“Thank you for coming in, girls,” Miss Lawrence said in her bell-clear voice. “Can you tell me what happened yesterday, Eloise?”
“She pushed me,” Eloise said eagerly, pointing to Maya.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Miss Lawrence said. “How did that make you feel?”
“I don’t know,” Eloise said, looking surprised. “Mad?”
“I see,” Miss Lawrence said, turning her attention to Maya. “Maya, did you push Eloise?”
Maya nodded without even looking up.
“Whydid you push her?” Miss Lawrence asked.
Maya glanced up in surprise, and Ash’s heart squeezed at the idea that she hadn’t expected that anyone would want to hear her side of the story.
“She budged,” Maya said softly.
“Do you mean she cut in front, in the bus line?” Miss Lawrence asked.
Maya nodded.
“We’re new here,” Mrs. Lewis said. “Eloise may not know where she’s supposed to go.”
Ash was pretty sure their daughter knew how a lineworked from the flash of shame on the little girl’s face. But that was still no excuse.
He turned back to his own daughter.
“Maya, just because someone gets in front of you in line doesn’t mean you can push them—” he began.
“She didn’t get in front of me,” Maya said right away. “She budged in front of Timmy Lanford, and she wouldn’t go back.”
Maya’s eyes were flashing and she stood with confidence.
“I see,” Principal Chittenden said, nodding. “Timmy Lanford is one of our students with a disability.”
