My stomach drops.
Here is the fallout. The goddamn Facebook post already seeped into the school. Someone complained. Someone made assumptions about Sadie. About me. About Delaney.
Of course they did.
I put the truck in park, jaw tight enough to crack a tooth, and follow her inside.
Her office is warm, tidy, full of framed quotes about kindness that suddenly seem to be threats.
I sit, fold my hands, and brace myself for the hit.
“Alright,” I mutter. “Let’s hear it.”
“This is about Sadie.”
Huh?Not Facebook? Not gossip? What the hell?
My whole body tightens.
“I wanted to inform you about an incident.” Principal Jenks sounds calm and professional—the tone people use when they’re about to drop a bomb. “Micah overheard Eli Spence making some unkind remarks.”
Of course it’s Eli. Carol’s son couldn’t hurt a fly physically, but verbally? Kid learned from the best.
“What kind of things?”
Jenks hesitates.
Never a good sign.
“He told Sadie she ‘wasn’t wanted,’ and that ‘if she was, her mom would’ve stayed.’ And he said it loud enough that other kids heard.”
My grip on the chair goes white-knuckled. I don’t even realize I stood until I feel the edge of the desk dig into my hip.
“He said that to her?” The words scrape out of my throat.
“She didn’t report it,” Jenks adds gently. “Micah did. He defended her.”
Good kid. I’ll buy him a horse someday. Or a puppy. Something.
“I’m going to speak to Carol about this…”
“I don’t think that’s the best idea.”
I whip my gaze to Principal Jenks so fast my neck cracks.
“Excuse me?”
She doesn’t flinch. She’s known me since I was twelve and punching lockers to prove they couldn't punch back.
“I understand your instinct,” she says carefully, threading her fingers together on the desk. “But approaching Carol directly is… volatile. She tends to escalate conflict, not resolve it.”
That’s the nicest possible way to say Carol Spence is a gasoline puddle with a matchbook purse.
“I don’t care about her reaction,” I grit out. “I care about my daughter.”
“And that’s exactly why I’m telling you to let me handle this.” Her voice softens just a notch. “You going after Carol is what she wants. It gives her attention. It gives her righteousness. It gives her an audience.”
I bare my teeth in something that isn’t a smile. “I’m not giving her a goddamn thing. I’m making sure she understands my kid is off limits.”
