Kate
My fingers tremble as I race back into the school. He came. I really thought he wouldn’t. His response was less than desirable. And after seeing the man, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s Finn’s dad. The phone call was from a helicopter parent and took way too long.
It was a miracle when I finally found Max’s number. I was in full detective mode scouring the Internet after his parents wouldn’t give it to me. I struck gold when I came across a phone number listed on an old social media account from high school. To me, it was another dead end until a deep voice answered the other line. I grab my large bag stuffed with papers and teacher manuals before racing out of my classroom.
“Shit,” I hiss to myself, not remembering if I locked the door.
“Kate.”
I turn to see Mr. Gilly, the principal. He’s relentless, asking every Friday what my weekend plans are. He’s determined to take me on a date. He’s a looker, kind, and a great principal. There’s no spark, and even if there was, I don’t have time or intentions to date.
“Yeah.” I brush back my hair and adjust my glasses on the bridge of my nose.
“Run out of contacts again?” He loosens his tie.
“Sure did.” I sidestep him. “Hey, I have an appointment and am running late. Have a good weekend.”
I race past him. Probably not the best thing to do, but it’s past my contract time. Hell, it wouldn’t matter anyway, because most nights I’m in my classroom way past dark. I have to meet Max. I’m hoping he didn’t spook and run. I can’t imagine what he’s going through.
Not going to lie…at first, I had a gut feeling Max was just like Ally and knew he had a son but didn’t give a shit. It was that first phone call that told me a different story. I can’t imagine what Max is going through right now.
My clunker of a car remains in the parking lot. I can make it faster by foot to the coffee shop. I toss my bag into my car and pat my pocket, making sure my debit card is there, then I take off.
The bell above the door rings. The workers behind the counter don’t look twice when I enter. I’m a normal here, typically going over curriculum and working out lesson plans. I spot Max slumped in a booth.
His thick, perfectly messy rich brown hair is covered by a ball cap when before it was on full view. My palms grow sweaty with each step closer to him. Inhaling deeply, I move and slide right across from him in the booth.
I swear to God an older version of Finn peers up at me. The resemblance is so striking I have to force myself to focus. I tense then exhale, knowing I’ve said everything that needs to be said. The proverbial ball is in Max’s court.
“Your normal, Kate?”
A voice startles me. I leap in the booth, the tops of my legs clanging against the bottom of the table. I spread my palms on the smooth top and inhale before nodding.
“Yes, please.”
“And you?” The young barista focuses his attention on Max.
“Nothing,” he growls.
I open my mouth to apologize for Max’s attitude, but in all reality, there are no words.
The young man scurries off, leaving us back to our awkward silence. I clench my fingers in my free hand to keep from drumming them on the tabletop, waiting on Max to speak first.
“Thank you,” he croaks out then clears his throat. “I’m not sure what the next step is.”
Max opens the floodgates, and I take the invitation.
“I love Finn,” I blurt out. “I had a suspicion on the first day of school. I didn’t listen to the other teachers and their speculations. Finn is a bright boy. He’s the smartest in his class. It was his clothes and hygiene that was my first red flag. The further I dug, the more I became worried.”
Max glances up at me prying with his stare in question, so I continue on.
“Finn had no social skills but talked easily to me. In fact, he clung to me. During our conversations, I found out he had a nana who helped raise him. It wasn’t until she went to see the angels that he and his mom moved back home. Finn told me his mom wanted him to meet his real nana who lived near Morton. I’ve never met Ally. Finn has either ridden the bus or has been in foster care.”
“Why foster care?” Max’s knuckles turn white on the tabletop.
I steady my voice and continue because this man is the answer to save sweet Finn. “I reported several incidents where Finn wasn’t clothed properly and showed signs of being hungry. The school ignored all of it. It wasn’t until Ally’s home was swept for drugs. They didn’t find anything, but the cops removed Finn. The same thing has happened a few times, and that’s why he’s currently in foster care.” The barista sets down my Chai Tea and slides a glass of ice water towards Max. I don’t stop, spilling everything I’ve kept bottled in for months now. “I’ve been so damn frustrated because Child Protection Service is trained to help the parents get to a point where they can raise their children in a healthy environment, and I know there are successful stories, but it’s never worked in Finn’s case. It’s been getting worse every time. It’s like Ally has no care or even an idea she has a child. I swear whoever this Nana was raised Finn until she moved here.”
“Enough.” Max clenches and unclenches his fists on the table. Without thinking, I reach over and cup his fists, soothing out the pain and agony the best I can. “He’s dirty. He’s hungry. The kids make fun of him I’m sure, but why was he taken this time?”
I peer down at our linked hands. “It was picture day. I bought him a nice little button-up shirt. I’ve been written up a couple of times for favoring Finn, but I don’t care. I wanted him to feel special on picture day.”
“I sent him into the bathroom off our classroom while the others were at recess to change into his shirt. Max, he came out so proud and happy of his new shirt, but the buttons were all mismatched.”
I have to stop and clear my throat. My eyes sting with hurt and pain. It’s a memory that I never want to live again, but I push through.
“I helped him adjust the buttons. Once I got his shirt undone and then went to fasten the buttons, that’s when I saw the welts covering his chest. They were perfect triangles. When I asked him what happened, he told me his mom got super mad when her shirt fell off a hanger and hit him with it. I reported it to the school, CPS, and the cops, and that’s when he was taken from Ally this last time…”
I’m not able to finish the rest of my story about being put on probation by the school board for once again overstepping boundaries before Max storms out of the booth with his jaw clenched. He glances back at me then storms off. The hurt stirring in his eyes breaks me. I whip around to see him striding right out of the door.
“Max,” I holler out.
He doesn’t turn around.
My chest aches for Finn and the fact his one final chance just stormed away.