Page 57 of Just This Once

I looked around and despite a few curious glances, my students were still working on their journaling. I slipped my finger under the seal and pulled a note from inside the envelope.

Prim,

I told you I’d take care of it, and I did. The Outtatowner Emergency Services Department is happy to provide various items to make each student’s summer a little brighter.

You can thank me by meeting me at Trawler’s Cove at 7 p.m. tonight.

The note was unsigned,but I knew exactly who it was from. My face lit up. Beneath the note, on top of the pile of items, werea pair of men’s size 9 Nikes—an exact match to the pair I had attempted to give Robbie.

How in the world had he . . . ?

The gentle trill of my timer went off. My head whipped up, and I stuffed the note into my desk drawer. Several students continued to finish their journaling while others sank back into their chairs.

I stopped the timer and music, glancing at the clock. “Well, class, we have an unexpected development. Before we do our final exit dance party, it seems as though our local fire department has a few parting gifts for us!”

Excited murmurs and titters rolled like a wave through the room. “Robbie, can you meet me at my desk?”

Michael’s health-care aide smiled at me. “Can I help pass things out?”

I grinned. “That would be great. Thank you. I guess... organized chaos is the best we can hope for. I’ll be there in one second.”

She nodded and started opening the remaining boxes as Robbie approached my desk.

From the box in front of me, I pulled out the Nikes. His eyes went wide.

“These are for you.”

He didn’t look up from the new shoes. “I... I can’t accept a gift from you. My father?—”

“These aren’t from me,” I interrupted. “Like I said, the fire department generously donated a few gifts.Everystudent gets something.”

His fingertips grazed the white leather before he picked up one shoe. “They’re even my size.” When his eyes shot up, I winked at him.

Robbie leaned across my desk, pulling me into a hug. My breath caught in anoofas he squeezed. “Thank you,” he whispered, voice thick with emotion.

I straightened and squeezed his shoulder. Grabbing the box, I moved to the front to help manage the excitement.

Fire department swag, T-shirts, gift cards—there was truly something for everyone, but somehow Whip had managed to make sure Robbie had been taken care of.

Whip King was full of surprises.

I glanced at the clock. “Oh! The bell is going to ring. Let’s circle up for one last exit dance party.”

Rowdy whoops and hollers rang out, but I didn’t care. I queued up the music we’d selected as a class and let it flow out of my speakers. Kids bounced and danced and circled as we sang along. Several girls from my class walked up to me, offering watery smiles and tight hugs as we said our goodbyes.

For someone who’d gone her whole life never quite feeling part of the group, those twenty-six kids shifted something inside me. I would always miss them, and they would also hold a special place in my heart.

After the last student waved goodbye, I finally broke down and sobbed behind my desk. After school, Rachel found me hiding behind my desk, puffy eyes, snotty nose, and all.

She sank down next to me. “So the Warden has feelings after all.”

I shot her a plain look and wiped at my nose.

“I’m teasing you.” She gently knocked her shoulder into mine. “I always knew there was a softy hiding in there.”

I sniffled. “I never cry at the end of the year. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

She laughed and dabbed the corner of her eyes. “I cryeveryyear, so I can’t tell you.”

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