Page 71 of Spring Rains
“Will it?” He sighed again, a deep, world-weary sound that seemed too heavy for someone his age. “I wish I could do something.”
“You’re being a friend to Clarke, so you’re doing more than you know,” I reassured him, squeezing his hand.
“I have homework, but I’m soooo hungry, Dad.”
I made him a drink and snack—albeit not quite as sugar filled as yesterday’s, and he settled down to homework in the back booth, but every so often, he would stop and stare into the distance.
I wish I could make things better for him.
At five, as I was flipping the sign toClosed, Chris arrived, and without hesitation, he limped into my arms for a hug, which I returned with all the reassurance I could give him. His eye looked swollen, and I cradled his face to examine it.
“What happened?”
“I got in between Pastor McKenna and Ainsley yesterday,” he said and leaned into me as if he couldn’t hold himself up. “It’s so good to see you,” he murmured.
“For real? Shit.” I kissed the bruise by his eye as if I could make it better. He made it sound as if it were nothing, but protecting Ainsley and getting hit wasn’t nothing. “Pastor Asshole called me this morning and gave me a speech about fornication and fuck knows what.”
“I heard someone posted bail for him.” Chris was frustrated. “But Ainsley’s safe, so now he’s straight on you, for real?”
“Yep, he sounded drunk.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“Then he told Merle not to get near me.”
“Wait—he was threatening you?” Chris asked.
“Just words, nothing Merle and I can’t handle.” I locked the door behind him and drew down the last blind. “I missed you last night.”
“I missed you, too.”
“Was today another bad day? Fox mentioned Ainsley wasn’t in school.”
Chris ran a hand through his hair, a sign of his unease. “Yeah, it’s been a tough day. Ainsley’s situation… it’s gotten around town. And you know how stories get exaggerated.”
I knew all too well the speed at which rumors traveled in small towns, and I’d seen it in here today.
“Is Ainsley going to be okay?” Fox asked as soon as we headed to the back of the diner. “Is he coming back to school?”
Chris hesitated, probably wondering what facts he could share amidst the flurry of rumors.
“I don’t know anything about that, Fox.”
Fox scrubbed at his eyes. “I should never have told him to talk to you. Now I’ve messed it all up.”
Chris placed a hand on Fox’s shoulder and squeezed.
“You did exactly the right thing. Okay?”
“But you weren’t in homeroom this morning. Did they fire you for being on Ainsley’s side?”
I frowned at Chris, who met my gaze, then glanced back at Fox. “I was late in this morning, then I took the rest of the day for admin.”
“Not fired?” Fox asked, a little desperately.
“No, not at all.”
Fox hugged Chris, tight, brief, but it made my heart lighten a little. “Good. Because you’re my favorite teacher, and not just because of…” He thumbed at me, and then Chris smiled. “Homework.” He left us then, heading back to the booth, stealing more diet soda as he went past.