“Do you have time for a safety inspection?” he asks as he adjusts the ball cap on his head.
I close the hood on Rachel’s car. “Yeah, sure,” I say but from the way he’s looking at me I’m guessing he has something on his mind. I’m about to ask him what’s up when my phone rings.
My heart lurches when I see its Cassie’s school calling. “Shit. I have to take this?” I slide my finger across the phone and pace the length of the driveway as the principal alerts me to an incident on the playground.
“I’ll be right there,” I say. Fuck, man, I spent more time in the principal’s office than I can recount. I never in this lifetime expected to get a call about Cassie, though. Shit, if the in-laws get a whiff of this…Nothing good could come from it. Nothing good at all.
I end the call and turn to find a very concerned friend eyeing me. “I have to go.”
“Everything okay?” he asks, like he knew who the caller was.
“Cassie punched a guy in the face at school. That was the principal.”
Jericho cringes, clearly not expecting that from me. I want to ask what he knows, why he just showed up out of the blue, but I have other more important things on my mind right now.
“Jesus,” he says, and shoves his keys into his pocket. “Want me to come with you?”
“No, I got this.” It’s a lie. I don’t got this. I’m so overprotective of my daughter, I fear I’ll do or say the wrong thing. I breathe and think of Cassie, and what’s best for her. She might need someone with a softer touch today, someone with clear reasoning skills. Unfortunately, I’m worried that someone is not me.
“Okay, call me if you need me,” Jericho says, and climbs back into his car. I watch him disappear around the corner, out of sight, and before I can think better of it I shoot a text off to Rachel.
Hey, do you have any free time?
I wait a moment and her text comes in. What’s up? Just headed to lecture hall.
Cassie punched Jacob in the face. The school just called. I’m headed there now. I just…not sure how to handle this. Any advice?
I’ll go with you.
I feel a measure of relief. But the truth is, I shouldn’t be relying on Rachel like this, or pulling her away from her classes.
What about class? I text.
The lectures are recorded. I’ll watch it tonight.
I let loose a slow breath. Thanks Rach.
I end the call, shove my phone into my pocket and lock the house. I drive quickly to her campus and find her standing at the spot I’d dropped her off at a few hours earlier. My heart leaps, a little too happy that she’s helping me out with this. She hurries into the car, and her eyes are wide when they meet mine.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know, really. All I was told was that Cassie punched Jacob during lunch on the playground.”
She goes quiet for a second, like she’s searching the recesses of her mind. “Oh no.”
“What?”
“What if she overheard us this morning. You were talking about how you handled playground bullies, remember?”
“Yeah, but she was playing music.” I think about that. “Still…I guess maybe she did hear.” I run my fingers through my hair. “Fuck, if she tells the principal that, I’m sure child protection services will be called in.”
“Oh, God, Jaxon. That won’t be good, but I was there, and witnessed the whole thing. I will assure them you never told your daughter to do such a thing.”
I nod, and slide my hand across the seat to grab hers, hold her much like I did this morning on the way to school. It’s amazing how life can change in a heartbeat. It’s something I should be used to by now, I guess. Sarah left ours in an instant, and Rachel entered it.
“Everything will be okay,” Rachel says, and puts her other hand over mind, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“I’m sorry for dragging—”
“Stop. I’m here to help you with anything while you fix my car, and that includes you daughter.”
“Okay, thanks.”
We both go quiet as I take the corner leading to Cassie’s school. I park and take in a breath as I meet Rachel on the sidewalk. I hurry ahead, and Rachel practically jogs along with me. Inside, we head to the principal’s office.
“Want me to wait out here?” Rachel ask.
“No, come in.”
We both enter, and find Cassie sitting on a chair in front of the secretary’s desk. “Daddy,” she says and comes running to me. My heart lurches when I see that she’s been crying. In another chair along the wall I spot a boy, who has ice on his cheek. I can only assume he’s Jacob. His parents must not be here yet.
Principal Emily Hawkins comes from her office. “Mr. Morgan, Cassie…” she hesitates when she sees Rachel. “Will you all come this way please.”
We step into her office. “Mr. Hawkins, this is Rachel…” I pause for a second, because it suddenly occurs to me that I don’t know Rachel’s last name.
Rachel sticks her hand out. “Nice to meet you,” she says without offering up her last name either. That bothers me more than I would like. “I’m the next-door neighbor, and babysitter.”
“Very well then please have a seat.” As we all sit, Cassie settles on my lap, looking sullen and frightened. Mrs. Hawkins continues. “As I said on the phone, Cassie punched Jacob in the face today. We don’t tolerate any sort of violence in this school.”
“He pulled my hair again, Daddy. It hurts.”
“I know,” I say to her, and give her a little hug. I glance at Mrs. Hawkins. “Cassie didn’t want to come to school today. Jacob has been pulling her hair.”
“She mentioned that, but a punch to the face is pretty severe retaliation, and worth an investigation, don’t
