Page 63 of Keepsake

No, I couldn’t deal with that.

I blew a hair out of my face as I marched straight to Godwick’s office. When had teenage boys gotten so big? Dash was tall, but Alvaro was so large sometimes I forgot Dash would look intimidating if his uncle didn’t make him look like a little boy.

Regardless, anger took over. I stomped through the hall, ignoring everyone in my way until I reached the end and turned right and there, sitting in front of Godwick’s door, was Dashiell.

He only looked up when the heels of my boots scratched the wood. His mouth closed in a line, like he was upset to see me and not the other way around. I cut him a look and then checked my watch.

Only half an hour until the end of school.

“Go get your sister.”

He nodded and then extended his arm to grab Lachlan, but I shook my head.

“Just go do what I said.”

Maybe he knew he was in deep shit with me, because the only attitude I got was the raise of his eyebrows to my tone before he got his backpack and turned to do what he was told.

I watched him go, his shoulders down, dragging his feet. He had the shirt folded up to his elbows, and of course, the uniform jacket he forgot in the chair. I sighed and took the jacket, repositioning Lachlan on my hip. I took a long breath and knocked at the principal’s office.

“Come in,” Kendra called, and I opened the door a little. “Oh, hey, Logan.”

I left myself in, shaking in my shoes. “I’m so sorry, Kendra.” The words had to be said.

God, even my butt cheeks were sweaty. Getting the kids in Lone Pine sounded like a great idea before, but now, as I sat in front of her with Lachlan perched on my lap and Lake Erie under my arms, I wondered if I didn’t make a mistake. In my work life, I could control how the Godwicks saw me. But here?

I couldn’t control Dashiell. That much was obvious. I had nothing under control, and I voluntarily mixed my personal and work life.

Letting a breath slowly go, I faced Kendra head on. “What happened?”

“Relax,” she said with a slight smile. “He had an argument with another student and things escalated.”

“He punched him?” I guessed.

On the phone, the secretary only told me things had gotten physical when I pressured her to talk. Nothing more than that.

“Yes. He knows he did wrong.”

“That’s not enough.” I swallowed. “That’s not going on his permanent record, right? Will it hurt his chances for college?”

“Breathe.” She only talked again after I breathed deep. “There’s no permanent record.”

“I remember there was,” I said.

“No, there isn’t. But that’s not what’s going to hurt Dashiell’s chances for college.”

Sosomethingwas hurting his chances.

“I’m still waiting to see if he wants to be here,” she said. I opened my mouth to tell her we were still in the early days, but she interrupted me. “I know it is still early. But maybe changing Dashiell’s mind is what you should worry about.”

I swallowed. “He told you he doesn’t want to go?”

She smiled sadly. “I’ve been a teacher for a long time. I can tell.”

I sighed, letting my head rest on top of Lachlan’s head.

“How are you doing, Logan?”

I gulped and lied. “I’m ok.”

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