CHAPTER 12
MOLLY
Ms. Canterbury’s face was made up entirely of wrinkles.
Wrinkles going sideways from the corner of her eyes all the way to the hairline of her lavender hair. Wrinkles angling away from her tight smile and heading down towards the square line of her jaw. She even had wrinkles on her neck, peeking out of the pink silk bow she’d tied around it to hide them.
Everyone at the Greenville School knew Ms. Canterbury was not a happy woman. She’d lived a lonely life, with no husband or kids of her own. The school, and the students in it, were her entire life. Because of that, you’d think she’d have cared a little more about what happened to the kids, but she didn’t.
Or, if she did, she didn’t show it.
She cared about other things, though. She cared about appearances. She cared about test scores and college scholarships. She cared about donations, which mainly came from my family. And, I’d come to learn, she cared very deeply what Daddy thought of her and her performance as the principal of the school.
Which is why, as she peered at me over the purple reading glasses that were perched on the end of her tiny nose, feigning concern and interest, I knew it was all an act.
“How are you feeling, dear?” she asked.
“Fine,” I replied.
“And your arm?”
“It’s broken.”
“I see that, darling. Is it healing up nicely?”
“It’s been two days,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Right,” she nodded. “Well, I’m sure it’ll be better in no time at all.”
I sat looking at her blankly, knowing I was being a little rude, but I didn’t really care. I’d given up long ago on anyone doing anything to help me, let alone acknowledge there was even a problem at all, so it was increasingly difficult to play along.
“So, you fell down the stairs your father said?”
“Is that what Daddy told you.”
“Yes, dear.”
“Then why are you asking me?”
She paused and nodded, her lips pursed tightly, causing the wrinkles to deepen into little crevices that her purple lipstick crawled into.
“Molly, you know your father is a very good man.”
“Is he?” I asked, lifting my chin boldly.
“He’s been very generous to us here at the Greenville School. If it wasn’t for his regular donations — well, Greenville wouldn’t even have a school. You kids would have to be bussed out somewhere, long bus rides every day…”
Her voice trailed off as I broke her gaze, staring down at the amber colored carpet of her office. I yawned.
“Well,” she continued. “I just wanted to check in on you.”
“I’m fine.”
“There was someone here asking about you. A woman.”
I didn’t look up or acknowledge her, but I knew she was talking about the woman Benji called. We’d talked on the phone last night and he told me he thought the woman had arrived, that he was sure he’d seen her at the diner that morning.
I was angry at Benji a little bit. He shouldn’t have gotten involved, because I knew nothing would happen, not even a stranger running around and asking questions would change a thing.
Daddy’s connected. He’s got everyone in his pocket, he likes to remind anyone of that very fact, at a moment’s notice. When Mom threatens to call the cops, he reminds her that his good friend Ross is the sheriff. When a business owner threatens to sue him, he reminds them that the judge is also one of his best friends, Connor. And if Connor rubs him the wrong way, he reminds him how close he is with the Governor. It’s an endless cycle.
I knew what this meeting was about. The only thing that could come from some strange woman poking around this town asking about me is that I would likely be the one to take the heat for it.
I dreaded going home already, the last thing I needed was another reason to avoid my own father.
But here we were.
“Did you hear me, Molly?”
“What?”
“A woman. She was here. Asking about you and your father.”
I shrugged.
“I just think you need to appreciate everything your father does, Molly. Calling someone and telling lies about him is a very disrespectful thing to do.”
“I didn’t call anyone.”
“Okay. I believe you. Do you have any idea why this woman would be asking about you?”
“No,” I lied, cursing Benji in my head and then immediately feeling guilty for it. Benji was the only person in my life, outside of maybe Maria, that cared about me. I couldn’t afford to be angry with him. He was only trying to help, even if it was going to make things worse.
“Alright then,” she said, sighing. “You can go back to class now.”
I jumped up quickly, eager to leave her office.
“Molly,” she said, stopping me as I put my hand on the doorknob.
“Yes?” I asked, turning.
“I’m here for you, if you ever need me.”
It took all my strength not to laugh at her. I’d told her the very first time Daddy hit me, when I was in the first grade, and she’d insisted it was a harmless spanking and I received the same lecture she’d just given me about how wonderful my father was. She might be here in this office physically, but there was no way she was ever going to be ‘here for me’.
“Thank you, Ms. Canterbury,” I said, flashing her a sweetly fake smile.
I just wanted out of there and I’d have done anything to get away.
“Have a good day, dear,” she said. “And please, give your family my love, will you?”