Tell Me No Lies. Kathryn Shay

FIVE

      DAN WAS DETERMINED to keep his temper as he drove to Molly’s school. Tessa was chaperoning a field trip to the zoo with Sara’s class, and the elementary school principal had called him about yet another incident concerning his older daughter. Molly was always stirring things up at school—causing some kind of ruckus on the playground, planning pranks, daring the other kids to stretch the rules. The incidents were invariably harmless, but she was making a name for herself with the faculty.

      This time, though, her actions were more serious. She’d cheated on a test. In fourth grade! Dan was shocked when the principal, Katie Gardner, someone he and Nick had gone to school with, called to tell him what had happened. He was more than a little disappointed in Molly. But as he pulled up to the building and headed inside, he curbed his reaction. He knew he tended to overreact to anything resembling public embarrassment, and Molly would need a sane parent now. The secretary showed him to the appropriate office.

      Katie, a pretty blonde, sat behind her desk with Molly across from her. His little girl swung her sneakered feet back and forth, staring down at her hands in her lap.

      Katie looked over at him. “Hi, Dan.”

      Molly didn’t acknowledge his arrival. He greeted Katie then crossed to his daughter. Kneeling in front of her, he said, “Mol, what happened?”

      She kept staring at her lap and so he tilted her chin. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her usually smiling face distraught. She bit her lip, the vulnerable gesture making her father’s heart ache. “I…I…”

      She threw herself at him and sobbed into his chest. He held on to her solid little body and let her cry. Lord knew this wasn’t the worst thing that could happen, but he was glad she was showing repentance. Or maybe it was fear. They’d had stern talks with both girls about fairness, integrity and doing your own work. When the outburst subsided, still holding on to her, he sank into a chair.

      Katie gave him a sympathetic smile.

      He smoothed down his daughter’s hair. “We need to talk about this, kiddo.”

      She shook her head.

      “Yes, we do.” After one more hug, he set her in her own chair. “Mrs. Gardner says you cheated on a test.”

      Molly wouldn’t look at him.

      “Why, Molly? You’re a good student. You know your math. Why would you cheat?”