“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, instantly going on the defense.
The principal sits up a little straighter. “Well, Cassie doesn’t have any female influences in her life. Perhaps she’s learning the wrong things at home.”
“If you think—”
Rachel’s hand on my arm stops me. “She does have female influences. She has her grandmother and she has me, and you can be rest assured that none of us, including Jaxon, would teach her to do such a thing. What the real issue here is, why has Jacob been allowed to pull her hair, even after she reported it to the playground monitor?”
I take in Rachel’s calm demeanor, and try to get myself under control.
“I don’t condone violence of any sorts, but as far as I’m concerned, Cassie was defending herself,” Rachel continues. “Not in the way we would have preferred, but the boy in the chair out there…” She pauses and point to the window separating the principal’s office from the secretary’s, “…has been mistreating her. Yet nothing was done until she fought back. Do you know what that does, Mrs. Hawkins?” Rachel doesn’t wait for her to respond. “That creates a ‘boys will be boys’ culture, and teaches girls that unwanted touches are acceptable. Except that hair pulling eventually turns into a tug on the elbow, or other things I’d rather not discuss in Cassie’s presence.”
“I don’t necessarily think it turns into—”
“Maybe not in every case, but definitely in too many. Why wouldn’t it, when society makes excuses for such behavior? If you’re calling Jaxon’s parenting into question here, rest assured, he’s one of the best fathers I know, and I’d be more than happy to tell child protection services that.”
A noise sounds on the other side of the glass pane, and I turn to see the little boy’s mother.
“Well, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Mrs. Hawkins says, and makes a note in her file.
“We’ll talk to Cassie about the incident, and we expect she won’t be coming home telling us about Jacob touching her again.”
Rachel stands, and I stand right along with her. I stare at her, seeing a whole different side to the quiet girl next door, one who is in hiding from someone who did some horrible things to her, clearly. My blood boils, wanting nothing more than to hunt the bastard down and hurt him, but I work to keep my composure for everyone’s sake.
I hold Cassie to me, and Jacob’s mother keeps her head down in a nervous, intimidated way that has me worried that Jacob’s learned behavior comes from home. Cassie remains quiet as I buckle her in, and I let loose a breath before I climb into the driver’s seat.
I start the car and turn to find Rachel staring at me. “What you did in there…thank you. You’re going to make one hell of a lawyer, Rach.”
Her smile is soft and slow. “Thank you. Now let’s get her home so we can have a talk with her.”
Home.
Odd how both Rachel and I think of my place as home. She’s been spending a lot of time there but… I cut my thoughts off, not like the direction they’re going.
“Daddy, am I in trouble?”
“No, you’re not. But we’ll have a little talk when we get home. First we’re going to get ice cream, though.”
“Daddy?”
“Yeah, kiddo.”
“I don’t think Jacob will pull my hair anymore.”
I stifle a laugh, and Rachel bites her bottom lip beside me. “I don’t think he will either.”
11
Rachel Rachel
Thankful that’s it’s Friday, I tug my coat tighter around my waist and exit the campus. My gaze goes straight to the spot Jaxon has been dropping me off and picking me up at every day for the last week. I smile the second I see him, and hurry toward his car. It’s insane how I’ve gotten so used to him doing things for me as we engage in a secret affair. Never in my life have I relied on anyone, well, after my mom died, that is. We actually relied on each other, and there isn’t a day that I don’t miss her. Since I lost her, I’ve had no choice but to be independent, and self-sufficient, and if I’m not careful, when this thing between us is over, it could very well have an emotional impact. The truth is, over the last couple weeks, I’ve gotten a little too close to this family, closer than I would have liked.
“How was your day?” he asks as I slide into the passenger seat.
“Not bad. How about you?”
“Good,” he says and after I buckle up he pulls into traffic.
I turn and glance at Cassie, who’s holding a bright pink card. “Hey, Cassie. What’s that you have there?”
“Gina’s having a birthday party.” She holds the invitation out for me to see, and kicks her legs out with excitement.
“Oooh, that will be fun. Is Gina turning six?”
Cassie nods, and the ponytail I put in her hair earlier this morning after sneaking out of Jaxon’s room before the alarm went off, bounces with her glee. “She’s older than me.”
“Not by much, you’ll be six in a couple of months,” Jaxon says.
Her big blue eyes go wide. “Can I have a party too, Daddy?”
“Of course.” Jaxon looks at me. “We need to go pick up a gift. I’ll drop you off at home, then take Cassie to the mall. She’s going to her grandparents for supper, and overnight. I took some steaks out for us. I thought I’d barbecue when I got back.”
I smile at that. I’ve been enjoying the meals we’ve all been sharing, maybe a little too much, and I’m kind of putting on weight. “Actually, I could come with you,” I say casually. “I work the late shift so I have plenty of time. Besides, I need to pick up a pair of mittens.” I hold up my bare hands. “I seem to have lost mine.” Truthfully when I left New York, there were plenty of things
