Page 28 of Mr. Broody

“I’m not. She had her baby last night. I have a new teacher now.”

“Really? Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” I ask, stopping us at the end of the hallway Bodhi needs to go down to get ready for the concert.

I fix Bodhi’s tie since he’s mangled it with his persistent pulling and run my fingers through his hair. Shit, how did I miss the grape jelly stain from his sandwich on his face? I squat and lick my thumb and run it over the corner of his cheek to remove the jelly. It’s not like I have a wipe on me.

“Dude, did you just lick your thumb and wipe his cheek?” Conor asks.

He’ll understand when he has a kid. If he ever has a kid.

“He does that shit all the damn time,” Tweetie says.

“Wait until you’re a parent, okay?” I look up at all of them briefly.

“I didn’t think about it.” Bodhi waves to some kid he knows. His mouth opens, and he points down the hall. “There she is, Dad.”

My back is turned, and I’m squatted down to Bodhi’s level. I run my thumb over the persistent spot once more.

Tweetie laughs obnoxiously.

Conor snickers.

Kyleigh coos.

Rowan’s gaze moves to me and back up behind me.

I’m guessing the new teacher is attractive. But Tweetie’s not fucking the substitute either.

“Miss Jade, wanna meet my dad?” Bodhi raises his hand and waves.

Jade isn’t a common name, and from everyone’s reactions, I instantly know it has to be her. A million questions fill my brain as once again, I stand and turn, coming face-to-face with her.

“I already know your dad, Bodhi.” Jade lifts her hand, clearly not surprised to see me. “Your dad and I met when we were about your age. Hi, Henry.”

“You can’t make this shit up,” Tweetie says.

I’m speechless, unsure how to react. She’s a teacher? When did she become a teacher?

Bodhi nudges my arm. “Say hi, Daddy.”

“Yeah, Daddy, say hi,” Conor says.

Jade’s gaze leaves mine to flit to Conor for a second.

“We’ll get Bodhi to the room he needs to go to. Come on, bud,” Rowan says, holding out his hand to Bodhi.

I still can’t find any words.

Kyleigh starts to walk with Rowan and Bodhi but stops and turns around. “Hey boys, let’s go.” She motions for Tweetie and Conor to follow.

“We don’t have to do everything together,” Conor says, staying put.

Kyleigh walks back, grabs the sleeve of her brother’s jacket, and tugs him forward. “Right now, we do.”

Tweetie and Conor can’t stop looking over their shoulders at us, cracking jokes and looking as if they belong in the seventh grade, and it’s my first time talking to a girl.

“So, you’re a teacher?” I ask, finally finding my voice.

She giggles. She fucking giggles. With no heads-up that she was Bodhi’s new teacher after Mrs. McConnell had her baby.

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