Page 100 of High Intensity

“We would like to speak with Hayley,” the social worker announces.

Lucas squeezes my hip before letting go. “I’ll go get her.”

“Actually,” she stops him. “Ms. Iverson and I would like to speak to her in private.”

I get the sense this entire invasion was carefully orchestrated, and quite possibly intended to keep us off-balance. Still, my protective instincts rear up and, although I probably don’t have a leg to stand on, I try to at least regain some control for Hayley’s sake.

“Only if she is okay with that,” I insist, challenging each one of them with a look.

Junior Ewing winces, the lawyer shrugs, and the social worker presses her mouth in a stubborn line, but it’s Heather Iverson who answers.

“Of course.”

I find Hayley cuddled up on our bed, surrounded by the pack. Her eyes are big and scared.

“There are some people here to see you.”

“Are they taking me?”

I can’t bring myself to lie to her, so I evade the question.

“For now, they want to make sure you’re okay.”

She untangles herself from the pile of dogs and climbs off the bed, grabbing my hand as we walk down the hallway.

The housekeeper is the first to react, her eyes filling with tears when she catches sight of Hayley.

“Oh, my dear girl,” she softly coos, wrapping Hayley in a hug. “It does my heart good to see you.”

“I don’t want to go home.”

Even though the words are whispered, the message is loud and clear to everyone in the room. A look I can’t identify bounces back and forth between Levitz and Heather Iverson.

“But, sweetheart, what about your school? Your friends? Your things? Don’t you miss them?” the woman prompts gently.

My heart breaks when I catch the internal struggle reflected on Hayley’s face and step a little closer to her. She seems to sense my proximity and leans her body back against me, and I fold my arms around her.

“I do, but I miss my family more.”

“I know you do, but are you sure you wouldn’t rather be at home where you can remember them?”

She shakes her head and declares in a heartbreakingly solemn voice, “They’re not at home anymore. They’re up here, in the mountains, and I want to stay.”

The older woman smiles sadly. “Of course.”

An awkward silence settles over the room I am afraid to break, but Lucas doesn’t hesitate to take charge.

He nudges Hayley. “Hey, kid. How about you and me take those dogs outside for a bit before they claw their way through the bedroom door? We’ll leave the grown-ups to figure things out, okay?”

I give her a little squeeze and drop a kiss to the side of her head before letting her go.

“Don’t let Nugget run too hard, okay?”

No one says a word until the pack, along with Lucas and Hayley, disappear outside.

“It’s for the best,” Oliver Levitz says. His statement is clearly meant for the housekeeper.

“Can someone clue me in on what is going on?”

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