Bye-Bye Baby Read online

  “You’re going to rock their socks off,” she promised. “Just be calm and confident and tell it just like how we practiced.” She smoothed shaky hands over his shoulders and down his arms. “You can do this.”

  Cole chuckled. “Your confidence gives me confidence.” He kissed her one last time. “I’ll call you when I’m done.”

  “Wait!” She grabbed his elbow before he could leave. “Do you have everything? Your papers? The diagram?”

  “Beth.” He framed her face between his hands. “Breathe, baby. I have everything in the car. I’m ready.”

  “I know you are.” She smiled. “I just wanted to make sure.”

  With a final kiss, he left. Damon was waiting just inside the lobby when Cole reached him.

  “Ready?”

  He held open the door and walked them to the car. At the school, he led Damon to the tarmac where the other parents stood waiting for the doors to open. The crowd made it impossible to find anyone and yet, Willa had no problem spotting Damon almost immediately.

  The girl came barreling out of nowhere, zigzagging between legs and bodies until she had Damon in a fierce embrace.

  “Look at the picture I made!” She jerked back and pulled free a piece of paper from her pocket. The zipper teeth caught the corner and tore the page in half. Willa’s face fell. “Oh no!”

  Damon took it from her, gingerly set the two pieces together. “We have tape inside,” he told her. “I’ll fix it.”

  Ruffling Damon’s hair, Cole turned his attention on the girl. “Where’s your dad, Will?”

  It took a moment for her to tear her eyes away from the drawing to fix on him. “At home.”

  “Did your mommy bring you?”

  Willa nodded and swung an arm out somewhere in the direction she’d come from. “She’s talking to Calla.”

  Curious, he guided the children towards the other side of the waiting area and spotted Lily’s blonde head almost immediately. It was bent low as she talked quietly to the tiny figure huddled on the floor, back against the wall, face buried on the arms folded on her knees.

  “Calla?” Cole hurried over. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know!” Lily said, frustration hot in her voice. “She been like this all week and she won’t tell me why.”

  Cole bent down so he was level with Calla’s tear stained face. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”

  Calla raised her blue eyes, her lashes damp spikes. “It’s my fault.”

  Cole exchanged bemused glances with Lily before focusing on the girl again. “What is?”

  She sniffled and scrubbed at the tears with the sleeve of her coat. Her gaze moved past Cole to settle on Damon. Damon, still holding Willa’s drawing, stared back, his small face dark with anger.

  “What happened?” Cole demanded, looking from one to the other. “Damon?”

  “Calla, say something,” Lily chimed in.

  “It was nothing!” Damon muttered, averting his eyes.

  “What was?”

  Lily straightened. “Someone better start talking, or so help me…”

  “Damon hit Michael because of me,” Calla blurted.

  Lily visibly jerked. “What?”

  Fresh tears spilled down Calla’s cheeks. “He was shoving me and calling me names and Damon told him to stop, but Michael wouldn’t listen and he hit Damon first.”

  “Calla!” Lily knelt in front of her daughter and grabbed the girl’s shoulders. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

  “Mrs. Hamill was yelling and I got scared. I didn’t want to get in trouble.” Her voice broke. Her face crumpled. “I’m sorry!”

  Lily pulled Calla into her arms. “It’s all right now. Shhh.” She stroked Calla’s shiny curls. “But you’re going to tell Mrs. Hamill, understand? You need to tell the truth.”

  Calla, face buried in her mother’s shoulder, nodded.

  Cole turned to Damon. The boy stood rigid and stone faced.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  His gaze fell to the pavement. “I was trying to be a good person.”

  Even as Cole’s heart broke, it also swelled. He studied the little face trying so hard to be tough and he knew, in that very moment, that he loved that little boy with all the intensity, passion, and protective instinct a parent could possibly have for their child. No matter how wrong it was because Damon could be taken from them at any moment, he didn’t give a shit. He would give his life to keep him safe and happy, just as he would for Willa, or Calla. He was a McClain, no matter what anyone said.

  “I’m going to talk to Mrs. Hamill, okay? We’ll fix this.”

  Damon said nothing.

  Cole got to his feet. Lily did the same and the two faced each other.

  “We should do it now,” Lily said. “Before classes start.”

  Cole checked his watch. There was still thirty minutes before his meeting.

  “Yeah.”

  Children in tow, they headed around the building towards the front doors. Mrs. Hamill stood in the reception area, an open file in hand. She looked up when they charged in.

  “Mr. and Mrs. McClain.” She closed the folder and glanced down at the children, settling on Damon. “First day back, Damon? I hope you will behave more appropriately—”

  “Damon didn’t start the fight,” Cole interrupted. “The other kid, Michael, he threw the first punch and actually started the entire altercation in the first place.”

  Her chin went up as she drew the file to her abdomen. “That is not the story I got.”

  “Damon was trying to get Michael to stop picking on Calla.”

  The woman’s eyes drifted over to the girl. “Calla?”

  Lily nudged her gently. “Go ahead. Tell Mrs. Hamill what you told us.”

  Calla raised her face hesitantly and met the principal’s unwavering stare. “I was on the slide,” she whispered. “Michael pushed me and then he and his friends threw woodchips at me and I told them to stop—”

  “Which friends?” Mrs. Hamill cut in.

  Calla faltered. “Jared and Anthony.”

  Mrs. Hamill set down her folder and picked up a pen and notepad off the reception’s desk. She scribbled down the children’s names.

  “Continue,” she promoted, still writing.

  Calla glanced nervously at Lily and Lily smiled at her comfortingly and nodded.

  “Um … I told them to stop,” Calla murmured. “They wouldn’t. Michael shoved me and I fell…” She held out her hands so Mrs. Hamill could see the scabs and scratch marks along her palm and over the heels of her hands that looked about a week old. “Damon came over and told them to stop—”

  “Why didn’t you tell the monitors?” Mrs. Hamill interrupted yet again, getting on Cole’s nerves.

  “I … I couldn’t,” Calla whispered.

  Mrs. Hamill glanced up. “Why?”

  Calla licked her lips. “Because Michael hit Damon and then they were fighting.”

  Mrs. Hamill folded her arms. “Why didn’t you tell anyone afterwards? You had a week.”

  Calla hung her head, her cheeks as pink as her cotton candy colored jacket. “Because I … I was happy he got in trouble, but I knew it was wrong.” She looked up at Lily. “I’m sorry.”

  Lily slipped an arm around Calla’s shoulders, pulled her into her side. “Mrs. Hamill, I think it’s clear that this is just a squabble between children. Damon was wrong to break Michael’s nose, but he can’t be the only one held accountable.”

  “Especially when the school has a zero bullying policy,” Cole chimed in. “That was what you said, wasn’t it? From where I’m standing, not only did this Michael kid bully Calla, but he hurt her, repeatedly, and his friends helped. As her parent, I’d like to see some punishment for those responsible as Damon was held responsible for trying to defend another person.”

  Mrs. Hamill glanced from Cole to Lily to each of the children, studying their faces before responding. “I will of course handle this matter according
ly, Mr. McClain. You have my word on that.”

  “What about Damon? I think this new piece of evidence should at least be enough to remove the incident from his permanent record, at least the part about his suspension. He might not have done the right thing, but he has been punished both by me and Beth and the school. That should be enough considering the situation and the fact that he was trying to do the right thing.”

  Mrs. Hamill peered down at Damon, saying nothing for several long seconds. “I will let you know once I have spoken to the other boys.”

  “And if they lie?” Cole countered. “It certainly isn’t beneath them since they lied once already.”

  “Mr. McClain, I can understand your frustration, but I will do what needs to be done.”

  “Which I can appreciate,” Cole jumped in. “But that isn’t solving my problem right now, and that’s removing some of the burden off Damon. I’m only asking that this incident be removed from his permanent record. I think we can all agree that, while yes, Damon had a part in it, he was only defending himself and another student. I’m not justifying his actions, but to put this mark on his future could ruin his chances at a good education later.”

  Mrs. Hamill sighed. “I can’t agree to anything until I have talked to the other students. Right now, I have the word of one student who waited a week to come forward, someone who, by all accounts, is in the same household as Damon. I will look into the matter and I will serve punishment as I see fit.”

  Lily’s hand settled lightly on Cole’s arm, stopping him from pressing the point. “That’s all we ask, Mrs. Hamill,” she soothed. “We just want to make sure that justice is served fairly.”

  “I am nothing if not fair to my school and my students, Mrs. McClain. Now.” She stalked around the counter to the door. She wrenched it open. “The bell is going to ring in a few minutes.”

  Cole took Willa and Damon gently by the shoulders and started drawing them back. Damon pulled away. He walked to the counter and reached around the opening.

  “What are you doing, Damon?” Mrs. Hamill let the door close.

  Damon cast her a quick glance like he expected her to jump at him, strike him. But he grabbed what he was looking for and pulled it forward. With his other hand, he pressed Willa’s drawing to the desk, face down. He tore free several strips of scotch tape and mended the torn strip on the paper. Finished, he returned the tape roll, folded the drawing and passed it to Willa.

  “It’s nice.”

  Willa smiled. “It’s for you.”

  Damon studied the picture, the scribbled affections of a four year old. But while most boys would have been unmoved, even embarrassed by the gesture, Damon folded it neatly and tucked it into his pocket.

  Through the halls, the first bell sounded, loud and formidable. Lily and Cole shooed the kids back outside and around the side to their door. They kissed them both and sent them off. Damon passed a boy with fading bruises around the white brace taped to a swollen nose and eyes that were a stark contrast to his pallor. They shared a venomous glare, but neither said anything.

  “Michael?” Cole guessed.

  “Michael,” Lily confirmed.

  “Kid’s got one hell of a right hook,” he said with a touch of pride.

  Laughing, Lily turned to him. “Really? That’s what you choose to be proud of?”

  Cole shrugged. “Yeah, well, maybe he’ll think twice before being a little douche.” He stole a peek at his watch. “Damn it. I have to go.”

  “Your meeting!” Lily grabbed his arm. “Are you late?”

  “Not yet, but if I don’t leave now, I will be.”

  He bent his head and kissed her cheek, kissed Willa on the crown and hurried to his car. He was pulling up in front of the bank when his phone chimed. Multitasking, he yanked out the keys with one hand, grabbed his phone with the other, wedged it between his shoulder and ear and forced open the door with his free hand.

  “Hello?”

  He slammed the door shut and hurried to the trunk.

  “Mr. McClain? This is Stacy Barns.”

  Forcing his keys into the trunk, he yanked it open and reached inside for his charts and papers.

  “Yes, Ms. Barns. What can I do for you?”

  Items in hand, he slammed the trunk down and sprinted to the bank doors.

  “I tried Ms. Doan’s phone, but no one answered.”

  Between reaching the door handles and keeping a firm grip on his things, Cole glanced at his watch.

  “She must be in the shower.” He jerked the doors open. “Was there something I could do for you?”

  “I apologize for not being able to return your call sooner, but this week has just been a circus. I have here in my notes that there was an altercation at Damon’s school and that he was suspended?”

  “Uh, yes, but I’m working on getting the school to revoke that from his records. The whole story wasn’t told and there was a lot of miscommunication. Damon wasn’t entirely at fault.”

  “I see.” He could almost hear her scribbling away. “Please let me know what becomes of that.” She didn’t give him a chance to respond. “I have actually been meaning to call you with some good news. We might have been able to locate an aunt on Damon’s father’s side. We’re just waiting for her to contact us, but we can have him relocated as soon as she gives us the okay.”

  Feeling like the ground had been ripped out from under him, Cole dropped his things carelessly on the glass table in the waiting room and took the phone in hand.

  “That’s it?”

  “That’s it.”

  “Doesn’t she need to have a background check, or have her house looked over, or something? I mean why is it so fast?”

  “His file will be transferred to someone in that province and they will follow through as necessary.”

  “That province? Where does this aunt live?”

  “Our records show Newfoundland.”

  “Jesus! That’s clear across the damn country!”

  “But she is family.”

  No! Cole wanted to snap at the woman. He and Beth were family. This aunt person was a complete stranger.

  “Does Damon know her? I mean, has she even met him?”

  “As I said, we have left her messages and are waiting to hear back.”

  “So this isn’t a done deal.” Some of the hope returned. “She might still refuse.”

  There was a pause.

  “There is a possibility,” Ms. Barns agreed slowly. “But this would be for the best. Damon needs people who are his blood.”

  “Not necessarily,” Cole retorted. “His blood left him to die on his bedroom floor. He needs people who love him and want the best for him. Blood sometimes has nothing to do with it.”

  “Mr. McClain?” Sue Carrell smiled at him when Cole turned around. “Mr. Goode’s ready to see you.”

  Cole thanked her before turning his attention back to the woman on the phone. “I’m just about to walk into a meeting, but please let us know what happens.”

  “You will be the first,” Ms. Barns promised before hanging up.

  Cole stuffed his phone into his pockets, along with his keys and gathered up his presentation. With them tucked firmly beneath his arm, he took a deep breath and followed Sue to Mr. Goode’s office.

  He didn’t call Beth after he finished. He went straight to work and threw himself into fixing the machines waiting for him there. He delivered the ones he was done with and went to Damon’s school a whole hour early to catch Mrs. Hamill before the rush started. The principal actually seemed exasperated to see him.

  “Mr. McClain.” She shut her office door behind him. “I would have called you.”

  Cole shrugged. “I had an hour free and I don’t like waiting.” He sat in the chair across from her desk. “Did you talk to the other students?”

  “I did.” She took the seat across from him. “I spoke to Michael as well as Jared and Anthony.”

  “Let me guess, they denied it.”

  Mrs.
Hamill gave him the ghost of a smile. “Anthony and Michael did, but I got the actual story from Jared. It collaborates with what Calla said happened.”

  “Good! Great. So what now?”

  “Now, I need to set up meetings with all their parents, let them know what happened. All three will be suspended, as Damon was, for a week. As I said, Mr. McClain, we take bullying very seriously here.”

  Cole nodded slowly. “That’s really good to hear. What about Damon’s record.”

  “Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about that. Once it’s in there, it’s in there, but if Damon keeps his head down and his nose clean, one tiny blemish like this will go completely unnoticed by most colleges and universities. They usually don’t look too closely at records this far back. I mean, he’s only in grade one. Children are almost expected to make stupid mistakes. It’s when he hits high school that he really needs to watch his steps.” She offered him a sympathetic smile. “If it makes you feel better, the other three will be getting the exact same note in their files as well.”

  It didn’t make him feel better. The whole thing irked him to no end.

  “Is there absolutely nothing I can do to fix this?”

  Mrs. Hamill shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

  He left her office shortly after that and went to wait for Damon. His phone jingled in his pocket and he pulled it out. Lily’s picture smiled up at him from the screen. He hit talk.

  “Lil?” He turned his head and scanned the area. “Where are you?”

  “I’m running late! Can you grab Calla, please? I’ll swing by to grab her from your place.”

  Cole frowned. “Yeah, of course. Everything okay?”

  Lily sighed. “Yeah, I was doing some nature shots and lost track of the time. Thank you! Oh! How was your meeting?”

  Cole hesitated. “Can you and Sloan come by the apartment tonight? I’d rather tell everyone at once.”

  “Oh, Cole, is it bad?”

  “Will you stop fishing?” he teased. “Just come by around dinner.”

  “Okay, but Sloan might be a bit late. He’s at a job.”

  Assuring her that was fine, Cole hung up and watched the door for his kids.