Page 22 of In the Air Tonight

“I’ll ask him to come in.”

“Will you…will you ask him not to freak out? That won’t help.”

“I’ll do that.”

She leaves the room and a few minutes later I hear the murmur of voices in the hallway, one of which I recognize as my dad’s.

“What’s the matter with her?” he asks, his voice louder now.

“She’d like to speak to you about something upsetting, and she’s asked that you refrain from reacting until she’s told you everything.”

“What the hell? Where is she?”

“Right this way.”

The doctor comes in, followed by my dad, who stops short at the sight of my red, puffy face.

“Neise. Honey. What’s going on?”

“Would you please have a seat, Captain Sutton?”

He doesn’t want to, but he takes the seat next to mine and reaches for my hand. “Whatever it is, honey, we’ll work it out.”

That sends more tears spilling down my cheeks.

“Sweetheart, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

I look to the doctor, who nods in encouragement.

“A few weeks ago,” I say softly, “I went to a party in Land’s End with some kids from school. It was at Houston’s house. Remember him from the restaurant?”

“Sure, I do. He’s a nice kid.”

“Yes, he is. Normally I don’t go to stuff like that because, well, you know… But he’s my friend, and I wanted to go.” I take a tissue from the box the doctor pushes across her desk to me and wipe my eyes. “While I was there, another kid I know from school said he wanted to talk to me about his girlfriend, who I know from a class last year. She’s been really sick, and I wanted to hear about how she’s doing. I went with him down this path away from the others. I, um… He said some things about how I look at him, which weren’t true. Then he pushed me down and—”

“Oh no,” Dad says on a long gasp. “Neisy.”

“I’m so sorry, Daddy.” Sobs shake my body. “I swear I never did anything to encourage him.”

His arms are around me so fast I hardly seem them coming. “Shhh, it’s not your fault. You did nothing wrong.”

As I breathe in his familiar scent and wallow in the warmth of his embrace, I’m relieved all over again because he knows, and he believes me.

“Who is it?”

“I don’t want to tell you that.”

“Denise is afraid you might harm him.”

“I swear on your life I won’t harm him physically.”

I’m well aware there’s nothing he could say that would mean more. I’ve always known I’m the most important thing in his life. “Ryder Elliott.”

“The football player?” He sounds as shocked as I felt when it happened.

“Yeah.”

To the doctor, he says, “Are you required to report this?”

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