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“Is that an excuse to speak unkindly of others?”

“No. She’s a… bully,” he says. “She said you should just pick one person and stop being greedy. Love isn’t like that.”

My sweet, sweet child. Tears heat behind my eyes as I hug him tightly.

“No, it doesn’t work like that,” I whisper. “I don’t think she knows what she’s talking about. I need to speak with the principal about Constance having grown up conversations around children.”

If she said this, she’s said other things as well. I can tell by the way Zayn screws up his face at me.

“Mommy, what’s a whore?”

I flinch, keeping my voice and face calm. “Who said that?”

“Dahlia’s mom,” Zayn sighs. “It’s mean, right? She said it about you.”

“It’s very mean,” I say, proud when my voice doesn’t crack. “The idea is that people who date multiple people are called this, but it’s derogatory, which means it’s disrespectful. Mommy is not a whore.”

“I told her that. Ah, I may have gotten in trouble for also saying bullies are worthless and she should be fired,” Zayn explains.

My lips twitch, because I adore my sweet, fierce child.

“Anything else?” I ask, already planning to call Emil to walk back to the school with me. Messing with me is one thing, words are meaningless. No one fucks with my kid. School ends for winter break in a couple of days, we may as well go out with a bang.

“The teachers went ‘huh’,” he says, fake gasping. I laugh, despite trying not to. “Mrs. W. said the principal would want to talk to me tomorrow.”

“Meh, why wait,” I reply, kissing his cheek. “I’m not hiding anymore and neither are Draven, Alastair, or Ciaran, Zayn. They were worried people wouldn’t understand our relationship.”

“Esa gente son tontos,” Zayn grumbles. He’s only allowed to call people dumb in Spanish, and he rarely does it.

“Let’s call Abuelo,” I suggest. “Maybe he’ll take us out to dinner after. Mommy doesn’t feel like cooking.”

Zayn grins at me as I call Emil, still hugging him as I wait for him to answer.

“Hola, mija. ¿Donde estan?”

“At the park near Zayn’s school,” I reply. “I need to have a conversation with his principal about defending me against certain false allegations.”

“Ummm. Well, I’m obviously coming with you. I’m already in the car with Julia. Are we going now?”

“We ride at dawn!” Julia yells, making me shake my head as I grin. She is definitely Rachelle’s mom.

“We are going now. I’ll tell you in the office. We’re getting someone fired today. Your great grandson has decreed it,” I state.

“I’m so proud. So young and already getting people fired,” Emil says, fake sniffling. “Principal Lance doesn’t like me. I hope we give the old bat indigestion.”

“I told Zayn we’re going to dinner with you afterward. I’m going to be too angry to cook,” I confide.

“It’s Taco Tuesday, mija. No one cooks today. I’ll see you at the school.”

Taking a deep breath, I hang up and text Arran.

Me

Constance is giving Zayn grief again. She called me a whore and he clapped back. I’m going to speak to the principal with Emil.

There are bubbles popping up on the screen and I freeze as I realize that I haven’t told him about Constance. It’s been a busy week and a half since the news story broke and the stress has pushed me into a flare.

I’m having trouble remembering who I’ve told what too, seem to be tripping over air, and went for an infusion two days ago after getting hit with a migraine. Today is the best I’ve felt in a few days.