Chapter 10

Gage

I couldn’t help but think of how upset Lauren was over everything. I had to admit, the pressures at home were plenty, and with her being back at the office most of the day, it was piling up on her. I hated to tell her, but the real issue was her trying to do too much. Going back to work was something I wanted to be supportive of, and I would never ask her to quit, but it was the source of her stress, not the wedding. I figured she’d see that soon enough when after the wedding, some of the work-related problems didn’t change.

I turned into the school parking lot and saw the kids lined up outside. The busy stream of cars had me stopping and going as usual, and as I approached, I looked over to see if anyone was messing with my daughter from across the way. I couldn’t make her out at first, but when I got closer, there she was, sitting in her line with the other kids. Her head was turned up and stayed that way for so long, I couldn’t help but look and see who she was staring at.

Helen.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. They’re letting that old battle ax into the school!” I nearly rear-ended the car in front of me, and as I hit my brakes, a few cars honked their horns. I cursed out the cars, even though they couldn’t hear me.

Once I got to the pick-up point, I stopped the car and unlocked the door. Ollie jumped up from her place, and without taking the teacher’s hand, as usual, she rushed to the car.

“Ollie!” her teacher called out with a concerned tone. “You’re not supposed to approach the car without holding my hand. That’s the rule, and it’s for safety, remember?”

“Yes, Ms. Tanner.”

I rolled down the window closest to the curb. “Ms. Tanner, might I ask you a question?”

“Sure, Mr. Riley. How are you today?”

“Good, thank you. Could you please tell me how long that woman has been working at the school?”

“Oh, she’s been here for about two months, but she was mostly working as an office assistant. Now, she’s helping with the children.”

I got a sour look on my face. “Well, if you want my opinion, someone should have checked her credentials before hiring her. She doesn’t belong around children.”

“She’s mean,” Ollie spoke up.

Ms. Tanner looked like she didn’t know what to say or do. “The school requires a background check, Mr. Riley. We all have to undergo an evaluation as well.” She turned to Ollie. “Has she been mean to you on the school grounds?”

Ollie shook her head. “No, but when she used to work at my house, she was mean.”

“Is this why you didn’t want to come to school today?” I asked.

“Is that true, Ollie? You didn’t want to come to school?”

“She faked sick and everything.” I had never seen her like that.

“Come to think of it, Ollie, you’ve been a bit quiet.” She turned her attention to me. “I can’t do anything about her employment, and I’m not really supposed to be talking to you like this about another member of staff, but I’ll make sure that she’s not a monitor for our class and that her lunch and recess duty doesn’t include Ollie’s.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“Thank you. Have a nice day.” She shut the car door, and then as soon as she stepped away from the curb, I drove away.

“Ollie, has Helen said anything to you?”

“No, Daddy. But she looked at me.”

I realized then that a comforting hello, at the very least, might have done wonders to put Ollie at ease with the situation, but that was never Helen’s style. She’d probably looked down her birdlike nose and glared with her beady eyes. How my father had ever found her to hire her in the first place was beyond me, and I hadn’t ever had the sense to see how she was until I brought Ollie home. She was never the comforting, nurturing type. But I guess there was no crime in being cold.

As long as they didn’t give her a strap. Thinking of her chasing Ollie around with one still got me angry.

“Do I have to go back?”

“Yes, you can’t quit school because of one person you don’t like. You’ll find in life that you have to learn to deal with people. But you hold your head up.” I reached over and lifted her chin, and she smiled. “You keep that chin up, and you look her in the eye, and don’t let her think she’s intimidating you. Then you stay close to your teacher. She’ll make sure that Helen isn’t mean to you.”

“My teacher is a nice lady. Pretty too. She’s getting married soon, and she got a big ring. Not as big as Mama’s, but it’s pretty. She said if we’re good, she’ll bring us some cake; she’s going to make it herself.”

“She makes cakes, too?” I wondered if she’d take on a wedding cake at the last minute for a large sum of money. “Do you know if she’s any good at it?”

“She makes all the cakes for our parties, and they are always good. I like the icing best. It’s so yummy. I traded Billy Tucker a candy bar for his. I don’t like Billy, but everyone else had already eaten theirs.”

“Then it must be good.” I couldn’t wait to tell Lauren. The news would be another great solution if Ms. Tanner would go for it.

But then in all the happiness, I saw my daughter smiling and realized I still had to talk to her about Edna.

“You know, kiddo, your grandmother is really serious about wanting to spend some time with you. It may come down to her having the law say that I have to let you.” She turned to give me a sideward glance. “Now, before you go getting all upset, I don’t think she’s got a chance in making that happen, but it might be that a judge will want to take a look at our situation and ask you your opinion.”

“I want to see Grandma Edna, but I don’t want to go there all the time.” She picked at the door lock beside her.

“Well, I was wrong telling you that I’d never let it happen. What I should have said is that I will do everything in my power not to make it happen, but you know your mommy is a lawyer, and she wants you to understand that we have to follow the law.”

“The law stinks. I don’t like being made to do things.”

“Me neither, baby, but you might have to tell the judge that you don’t want to go. Do you think you could tell him with Edna there?”

She looked like she was thinking about it for a minute, and then she nodded. “I could tell anyone.”

“It might make Edna sad.”

“Yeah, but if I have to go, then you and Mommy and Wade would all be sad.” She looked out the window beside her and began to cry. “I don’t want to have to go.”

“As I said, I’ll do all I can, baby girl. Don’t cry. You’re going to make Mommy sad and Wade too, baby.” Not to mention it was the worst thing in the world for me, right next to Lauren crying or the two of them being in pain.

I turned onto our private road, and when I got out to go inside, she tried to dry her tears. When I opened the door, she ran inside and went straight to her room. Usually, she would greet Lauren, but I knew she was upset, so I let her go.

I had another crying woman to deal with. I went into the nursery where Lauren had been and found her lying on the floor, playing with Wade and his toys.

“Where’s Olivia?”

“She’s in her room. I had a talk with her about Edna.”

“Didn’t go too well, did it?”

“No, it didn’t. But that’s our luck, right?”

“Right.” She squeaked Wade’s toy and let out a long sigh. “So, tell me. There’s more bad news, isn’t there?”

I knew I had to tell her about Helen.