Page 74 of The Double Play

“Of course.”

I turn around and walk out of the room. My heart is a too-full washing machine. I had enough tumbling around in it, but now anger is bleeding onto the other emotions like a red t-shirt in a load of whites.

June looks up at me when I walk out, her eyes full of tears. I know this anger isn’t going to subside for a little while, but I’ll hold it back for her sake. How could someone let this happen to such a sweet little girl? Emmett is going to be furious. The thought both bolsters me and weighs on my mind. Yet another thing for him to worry about. My eyes sting as I hold my hand out and June takes it without hesitation. She wouldn’t have gone through this if it weren’t for me.

“What dessert did you decide on, sweet pea?” I do my best to infuse my voice with cheer.

“Can we get a big cookie like in New York?” she asks.

I muster up a smile as I lead her through the lobby. “Of course we can. Would you like to go home or to the park after?”

“Can we go to the park and look for pretty rocks?”

I squeeze her hand. “That’s a great idea, June. The sunshine will cheer us up.”

“I hope so.”

My heart breaks in half. This poor sweet girl. I’m tempted to go in and demand the teacher and kids apologize right now. But I walk her to my car instead.

She gets in, and I leave the door open even after she’s buckled into her booster seat.

“I’m sorry that those kids were mean to you.” I take her hand. “Everything they said wasn’t true.”

Her head dips. “Why did they say that word? What does it mean?”

I close my eyes and draw on my waning strength, then open them again. “Some people are mean when they’re jealous of how happy other people are,” I try to explain. “And that word is something you should never say. They shouldn’t have said it.”

“I don’t like being mean, I like being nice.”

I smile and run a hand over her hair. “I know you do. You’re the sweetest girl in the whole world, that’s why I call you sweet pea.”

She giggles. “I thought it was because I eat lots of sugar.”

I tickle her belly a little bit, making her laugh more. “That’s true too. How about we get some more sugar to make youextrasweet?”

She nods, a smile blooming on her face.

“There’s that smile I love to see. We’re going to have a great afternoon.”

“Thanks, Miss Hazel.”

I kiss her forehead and then close the door. Exhaustion weighs down on me. It’s starting to feel like my new normal. I’m happy June is okay. I know her mood will recover fast, but the idea that I played a hand in her pain knifes at my heart. A chocolate chip cookie may put a smile on her face, but it doesn’t fix everything. I wouldn’t change being with Emmett, but maybe if I could have gone about it a better, slower way, we could have avoided this situation.

A sigh falls from my lips as I open my driver’s side door. I’ll do what I can to make this situation better and keep it from happening again. Maybe a new job will help? I plop down in my seat and turn the car on to get some air blowing. The idea of someone else getting this kind of call makes my stomach turn. Yet again, I feel at a loss for what to do. I need Emmett’s help here, even if I’d rather avoid the conversation.

“Miss Hazel, are you going to tell Daddy about what happened?” June asks from the backseat.

“Yes, I am.”

“He’s not going to be happy.”

“No, no, he is not.”

“Should we keep it a secret?” I glance up at her reflection in the rearview mirror. Uncertainty lines her face. “That way he doesn’t get mad.”

“He won’t be mad at you, sweet pea. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“I know, but I don’t like it when he’s upset.”

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