Page 7 of Beyond Perfect

Maisy spoke up. “Meanwhile, we have to make sure he doesn’t get that fifth demerit.” They were allowed five demerits before they were sent to juvie.

Jackson transferred his gaze to the school psychologist. “Gemma, you need to have a frank conversation with him.”

“I will.” Gemma was all business. She turned to Maisy. “But you’re the one closest to him.”

“I think I am. I can talk to him, first, but we shouldn’t overwhelm him with meetings.”

Jackson nodded.

Gemma said, “I’ll wait to hear from you then.”

“I guess that’s all we can do.” Maisy frowned. “I have him in social studies class this afternoon. I’ll try to talk to him at the end of the day.”

“Keep us all informed.” Adam, the school principal, put in. “I do not want to lose this boy.”

“I think all of us agree on that.” Jackson sighed. “Let me know how it goes after you see him, Maisy. Good meeting, everybody. We’ve got some concrete things we can do. Thanks for your time.”

They all stood. Maisy was the last to leave. She turned at the door. Her heart hurt when she looked at him. “I appreciate your efforts, Jackson. And you not singling me out.”

An arched brow. “I told you I wouldn’t.” He cleared his throat. “Let me know how your talk goes with him.”

With that she left. Frustrated, angry and confused. Every time she saw him, she felt worse.

* * *

Jackson forcefully repressed his frustration over Maisy, just like he’d tried to forget his time with the Tarantulas. He left his office at lunchtime and drove to a restaurant on the outskirts of town, parked and bumped right into Joe Romano. “Hey buddy,” Joe said. “It’s great seeing you again.”

“I feel the same.” They entered the restaurant and got a table in the back.

“So, how’s it going?” his friend asked after they were seated.

“I’m better than I was ten days ago.” He gave Joe a grateful smile. “Thanks for meeting me at the cabin and letting me explode there.”

“You helped me right after…all that stuff went down for me and a lot of times since. We said we’d be here for each other.” He rolled his eyes. “That sounds so schmaltzy.”

Jackson laughed

“You think God had a hand in bringing us together?”

“I don’t believe in God. I know you do.”

“Only because I want to. AA teaches us to think of God as a higher power.”

“How are those meetings going?”

“They keep me away from booze. I’ll never go back to where I was when I was drinking.”

Romano had gone off the rails when his twin brother, who’d been on his fire department group, disobeyed an order to vacate and he and the two little boys he was trying to save died.

“Good for you for sticking with it.”

Joe studied Jackson across the table. “Did you give any thought to getting a counselor?”

“Yeah, I might do it. I’m in the gathering names stage.”

“Don’t wallow in that stage. Your nightmares are proof positive you need it.”

“I’m trying.”

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