As Zach pulled into the school parking lot, he decided he should’ve called Rosie and asked her to deal with this situation, after all. She was closer to the grade school, and knew the principal. Actually, he was surprised that the authorities had notified him instead of her.
The school was filled with kid noises when he opened the main doors—classes were being released for afternoon recess. Just as Zach walked into the building, a couple of hundred students shot out the doors. He couldn’t move until they’d rushed past, and found himself standing there like a rock in a fast-flowing stream. As soon as the halls had emptied, he made his way to the principal’s office.
Mr. Durrell, the principal, came out of his office once his secretary had announced Zach’s arrival.
The two men shook hands.
“What’s the problem?” Zach asked.
Durrell brought him into the other room. A petulant Eddie sat on a sofa, his shoulders slumped forward. He stared down at the floor, glancing up briefly when Zach entered. Eddie had a bruise on the side of his face and his eyes were red from crying.
The principal sat at his desk and Zach took the seat next to his son. Eddie wasn’t a fighter, and Zach couldn’t imagine what had happened to bring him to blows with another student. Zach placed his arm protectively around Eddie’s shoulders. His son leaned into Zach’s strength for a moment, but then caught himself and stiffened.
“Eddie was involved in a fistfight earlier today,” Mr. Durrell explained. “The other boy claims Eddie threw the first punch.”
“Eddie?” Zach asked, waiting to hear his son’s version of events.
“Eddie refuses to answer my questions,” the principal said.
Zach turned to look at his boy. “Is it true, Eddie?” he asked gently. “Did you throw the first punch?”
Eddie sniffled and wiped his nose with one sleeve. He nodded.
“I’m sure there’s a good explanation,” Zach told the principal. “Eddie’s never been in any fights before.”
“I agree,” Principal Durrell said, “and that’s what concerns me. This is out of character for Edward. I’m willing to overlook the incident this time, but I want assurances that it won’t happen again.”
“Of course,” Zach said.
“The reason I phoned you, Mr. Cox, is that this is serious. I want you to know that if Edward takes part in a second fight, I won’t have any choice but to expel him.”
“I understand.”
“Why don’t I give you a few minutes to talk, and then the three of us can discuss the matter before I bring in Christopher Lamond.” Mr. Durrell stood and walked out of the room.
At the mention of Janice’s son, Zach’s head snapped up and his mouth went dry. As he sorted out his thoughts, Zach heard the sound of children’s laughter drifting in from outside. A bell rang, and the thunder of feet signaled that recess was over. Suddenly the halls were quiet.
“You want to tell me what happened?” Zach asked once he’d regained his composure.
Eddie’s shoulders had slumped so far forward, his forehead almost touched his knees. He sniffled again, then gradually straightened. “Chris said…his mom used to be your girlfriend, and that’s why you and Mom don’t live together anymore.”
Zach felt as if he’d been hit square in the chest. The impact was so jarring he nearly placed his hand over his heart. “You know that’s not true.”
“I told Chris, but he wouldn’t listen.” Eddie shook his head. “I shouldn’t have hit him, but he wouldn’t shut up and he kept shouting it and finally…I had to make him stop.”
“What’ll happen the next time, Eddie?”
“Next time,” Eddie repeated, “I’m going to look him in the eye and tell him it isn’t true and then I’ll walk away.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” Zach ruffled his son’s hair. “You want me to beat him up for you?” he teased.
The hint of a smile touched Eddie’s mouth. “Dad!”
Zach nudged him with his elbow and Eddie nudged him back. After a couple more elbow exchanges, the door opened and Mr. Durrell returned. The three of them talked for a few minutes, and then the principal brought in the other boy. Chris refused to look at Zach. After the two boys had apologized, Mr. Durrell instructed Eddie and Christopher to go back to their respective classrooms.
Zach was about to suggest Eddie come home with him, but he realized it was better that his son face his class and his friends sooner rather than later.
Zach thanked Mr. Durrell and left. He pitied Chris Lamond, suspecting that Janice had paraded a number of men through her son’s life. He’d almost been one of them. Zach was halfway to the parking lot when he recognized Rosie. She was dressed in a straight skirt and matching jacket and looked…professional. Sharp and savvy. He wasn’t used to seeing her like this, and it made him feel a bit odd, as though she’d somehow become someone different. When she noticed him, she paused momentarily. Then, with her chin held high, she continued toward the school.
“I’ve already been to see Mr. Durrell,” Zach said when their paths crossed.
She nodded. “The school secretary called to tell me Eddie had been in a fight. I thought I’d better find out what happened. That just isn’t like him.”
“Mr. Durrell phoned me.”
“I didn’t know if you’d be able to come. I know how busy you are this time of year and I managed to leave a few minutes early.”
“You assumed I wouldn’t come.” Zach was mildly offended that she’d expected him to put his work schedule ahead of his son’s needs. He might be lacking in a lot of other areas, but Zach prided himself on being a good father.
“Oh, no, I knew you’d come. I just figured that it’d be later, and I didn’t think it was a good idea for Eddie to sit in Mr. Durrell’s office all afternoon.” She gave a quick shrug. “I was wrong—you obviously came over here right away.”
He wondered if she’d said this just to prove she had no trouble admitting when she was at fault. Fine, he could do it, too.
“Speaking of assumptions,” Zach said, looking past his ex-wife. He owed her this, even if it meant humiliating himself in the process. “It’s easy to leap to conclusions.” He glanced at Rosie to see if she got his point.
“How do you mean?”
It should be obvious, but apparently she wanted him to spell it out. “The way I assumed you were talking to Cecilia to pump her for information about Janice.”
Rosie stared at him. Then she frowned as if she wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly. “Are you apologizing, Zachary Cox?”
Zach clenched his jaw and nodded. “Yes, I’m apologizing. I was out of line that day.”
Her face relaxed, and she offered him a soft, almost shy smile. Then she said, “Thank you, Zach.”
“For what?”
“For admitting you were wrong. I know how hard it is for you to do that.”
“Really?” He didn’t think he was that bad, just reluctant at times. Still, he’d gotten worse once his marriage began to fall apart. Although maybe that was why his marriage had fallen apart—or at least a contributing factor.
“Oh,