Page 113 of Finding Hope

I slide the phone back into my purse and look up to find Lucy and Evie standing by the lockers. I smile, because they feel like home, but then I register Lucy’s sullen face and frown.

Squatting in front of the girls, I look up into chocolate brown eyes. “Hey. What’s the matter? What happened?”

“I don’t know what’s the matter, Miss T. Bean won’t tell me.”

Studying Lucy’s pale face, I take her hand in mine and stroke a thumb along her wrist.

I’ve spent so much time with them, I already feel like we’re family.

“What’s the matter, Luce? Do you wanna talk about it?”

Shaking her head, she turns her eyes away. “Nothing’s wrong. But can you drive me home, Miss T? I don’t wanna wait anymore.”

“Yeah, of course. Where’s your mom?”

“Aunt Tina’s getting us today, but she’s gonna be a little late.”

“She already got the littles,” Evie explains. “Bry has to go to the dentist. Mom asked if we wanted to come, or if we wanted to wait for her to come back.”

“Okay.” Taking out my phone a second time, I open a text for Tina and let her know I’ll take the girls home so she doesn’t have to worry about coming back to the school. “So your mom has everyone else? It’s just you two here?”

“Yeah, just us. Mom got everyone else early.”

“Alright.” Standing, I keep Lucy’s hand clutched in mine and turn back to Laine. “Do you wanna come play at the Kincaids’ estate?”

“No.” Smiling, she steps back. “I have work to do. But I’ll text you, okay?”

“Okay. I have to talk to you about something, anyway. I’ll call youlater.” Leading the girls out through the front entrance, we cross the grass and head toward the parking lot. “Do you girls want a milkshake? We can stop at a drive-thru… My treat.”

Evie’s eyes light up, but Lucy’s stay downcast. “I’m alright, thanks Miss T.”

I frown at her sullen face. I wonder if that boy has been picking on her again? Or maybe someone else. I know I told Evie she wasn’t allowed to retaliate again, but I wouldn’t be opposed to turning the other way if she did.

If she could wipe this sadness from Lucy’s eyes, it’d be worth it to me.

As we walk, my phone dings twice in succession. Tina replies that it’s cool I drive the girls home, and Jack replies with a winky face and a kiss.

That boy must’ve just found the emoji keyboard, because he uses those stupid little faces for just about everything now.

Smiling, I wait for the girls to climb into my car, and once they’re belted in, I start the engine and head toward their house.

With every yard we move away from the school, Lucy’s doom seems to lessen. “Do you wanna talk about today?”

She shakes her head. “Nothing happened, Miss T. I just wanna go home.”

Watching her in the mirror – her long hair curtaining her face, her dark eyes staring at the floor – I begin to wonder.

“Do you know what time your dads are gonna be home?”

The girls shrug their shoulders, but I smile, anyway. I’ve just had a cool idea, but I need the guys’ help.

Specifically, Jimmy’s.

We go through the drive-thru as we cross town, and though Lucy said no, I still get her a jumbo milkshake and pass them into the back. Heading through the gates that secure their home only minutes later, I pull up in Jack’s driveway and smile like a damn idiot at the sight of Jim’s truck parked in his driveway.

Jackpot.

“I’ll be back in a sec, okay?”

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