Page 148 of Hell Hath No Fury
“All right!” He ruffled my hair. “You get back to sleep. Remember to lock the door behind me in a few minutes, though.”
“I got it.”
“Stay safe, Ashe.”
“You too, Mr. Malcolm.”
I watched as he slinked toward the coach’s office and locker rooms then quietly made his way out the back doors to the parking lot. I wondered if Dr. McCormick knew he was leaving and how she’d respond once she learned he did. I wondered if things would get as bad as Mr. Malcolm thought they would. I wondered if I’d ever see him again. Answers to my questions would come eventually, and none of them would be what I had imagined or hoped they would be. I spent a while handling the knife, ogling it, mesmerized by the craftsmanship and honored to have received it.
CHAPTER FOUR
I don’t recall falling asleep, but I awoke the next morning to a chorus of shrieks and cries, still cradling the gift from Mr. Malcolm. Before anyone could see it, I slipped it in my pillowcase along with my phone.
“What’s going on?” I asked Monica who had been watching in amusement as Alex threw a tantrum. Hannah and Star were holding each other and bawling.
Monica looked over her shoulder, the smile fading. “Mr. Malcolm left last night. McCormick is freaking the F out.”
I scanned the room. “Where is she?”
“She was just in the locker rooms beating the shit out of some lockers and crying.”
“Are you serious?”
“Would I lie to ya?” Monica poked her tongue out. “I’m for real, she went completely mental. Surprised it didn’t wake you up too.”
“Yeah, couldn’t sleep last night. Needed to play catch up.”
“What was that thing you were holding?”
“What thing?”
“I don’t know, it looked wooden. You were like cuddling with it.”
“Probably just my phone.”
Monica shot me a curious look then shrugged and turned her attention back to Alex as he beat his fists against the barricaded front door.
I didn’t want to tell her about Mr. Malcolm and my talk last night because I didn’t want to make her feel bad, and I didn’t want her to know I knew he was leaving.
She turned back abruptly. “Happy birthday, by the way, bitch! I would’ve got you something but,” she shrugged. “I’m broke as a joke.”
“It’s okay… You know, there is something you can do for me, though.”
“What’s that?”
“We really need to start helping Dr. McCormick more.”
Monica recoiled. “With what?”
“With them.” I motioned to the other kids in the room.
“They’re not our responsibility.”
I hitched up my shoulders. “Well, right now they kind of are. How about you go try to settle Hannah and Star down?” I reached into my pillowcase, grabbed my phone and charger, then handed it over. “Here, take this with them to the bathroom or something. Somewhere where the other kids can’t see it. Let them play some games or YouTube or whatever. Just make sure you keep it charged. I’ll go try to settle Alex down.”
“But why? I don’t get it. What’s our end goal here?”
“Our end goal? There is no end goal. We just need to help the doc out. She could leave too, ya know? She doesn’t have to stay here and take care of us.”
