Page 3 of Single Teddy
It was no wonder I didn’t shut an eye later that night, once we’d both settled in our room. Bear had had his dinner and warm milk that eased him right to sleep. He looked like an angel. He was so…small, and I was responsible for this fragile little creature. It was impossible not to be terrified. Howcould Irest?
I just sat in the armchair across from the bed and watched him, going through everything in my mind and trying not to panic.Tryingbeing the operative word.
Breathe, Teddy. Breathe, I kept telling myself.
Over and over again until by some miracle, I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, it was light outside.
It was easier to shove all my feelings deep down when the sky outside the window looked such a nice, serene shade of purple. I got out of the chair, stretched, and checked the time. I had no idea if it was too early or too late for school, so I checked my my phone and read through Goodman’s email, which reassured me I had plenty of time before Bear had to be at school.
I tiptoed out of the room with my suitcase, changed into my jogging pants and a T-shirt, and started to go out the door when it hit me.
I couldn’t just leave him here, on his own, in a brand-new place, no less, so I could go for my morning jog. He didn’t have his grandparents around to watch over him or to run to in case he got scared. It was just…us. Us against the rest of the world.
“Shit,” I muttered and closed the door, collapsing on the nearest chair and trying to screw my head on straight and come to grips with my new life once more.
Eventually, I dragged myself back upstairs, back into the room, and went through the motions of waking Bear up, getting him into the shower and dressed and fed, and on the road to school.
“I don’t wanna go to school,” he said.
“I know, Bear, sweetheart, but you have to. All kids go to school.”
“But I don’t want to!” he whined louder.
I looked at him through the rearview and didn’t know how to respond. What was the right thing to say? What was the wrong thing?
We stopped at a traffic light, and I focused my gaze on him.
“I know it’s scary, but we’re in this together, Bear. You know? We’re all we’ve got now. I’m scared too, yeah? I don’t know this town, or its people, but we’ve got friends here. People who care about us, like Mr. Wyatt and Autumn, yeah?”
He didn’t look entirely convinced, but he nodded anyway, and I put my foot on the gas pedal and set the car in motion again, wondering who was putting on a brave face for whom.
I parked the car and walked into the building with Bear as if I’d never been to school before. As if walking onto an enemy base where one wrong move could be my undoing.
“Excuse me, where is the principal’s office?” I asked the first person I came across, and they took me there themselves, as if I were incapable of following orders. Or maybe I lookedthathelpless.
Once the necessary paperwork was handled and all the introductions were made, the principal unleashed us back into the school and in search of Mr. Crawford’s classroom.
But this time, I refused to ask anyone. I was a grown man who had fought terrorists for fuck’s sake. I could find a freaking classroom.
And I did.
It took me five minutes, but I did.
We stood outside, and I turned to Bear, who looked back at me with big, wide eyes that threatened to make me sob.
How Josie made something so pure and innocent, I’d never understand. Or how I’d ended up his guardian for the rest of my life. But I’d do it, dammit. I’d do it just so I could keep seeing that light in his eyes. I wouldn’t let that light go out again. And that was a promise to myself and Bear.
“Ready to meet your new teacher?”
He pursed his lips and gave me a very insecure nod, tightening his grip around my hand. I ruffled his hair, smiling.
“You can do it, big guy. I know you can.”
Bear continued to watch me. I pulled back, took a deep breath, knocked on the door, and walked in.
“Hello!” I said, just as a man on the other side of the door jumped and fell…right into my arms.
“Hi,” said the young bearded man with strawberry-blond hair and the cutest round glasses that made his blue eyes pop.
