Chapter 9 #2
“Will you help me decide what to wear?”
“Of course. Come on, stand up,” Pyro said. Then he reached out and gently wiped the tears off her cheeks. “Let’s see what we have to work with.”
It didn’t take long for Bowie to decide on a cute pink shirt with a Pikachu Pokémon on it that Mandy had bought her, and a pair of tan cargo pants with roughly forty-seven pockets, which she’d received from Laryn. The woman was seriously fond of her pockets in any article of clothing she owned.
“I’ll leave you to change and meet you in the kitchen. Your mom is making your lunch, and I’m sure she’ll have something you can eat on the way to school, since we’re running so late. Okay?”
“Okay, Kylo-Pyro. I love you.”
His heart nearly melted at hearing the words, and he felt himself getting a little choked up. But he cleared his throat and said, “I love you too, Bowie-Bear. Don’t dilly-dally. You’ve got friends to make and things to learn.”
He walked out of the small bedroom—and almost ran smack into Penny, who was standing just outside the room. She had tears in her eyes, and once again the resemblance between mother and daughter was abundantly clear.
She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hall into the kitchen—then threw herself into his arms and hugged him. Hard. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For being so amazing with her.”
The warmth of Penny in his arms was like coming home.
Pyro relished the feeling of her against him.
He experienced a calmness he’d never felt before.
Her hug was magic, and Pyro was suddenly greedy.
He wanted this feeling all the time. Wanted the right to do this every morning…
help Bowie decide what to wear to school and stand in the kitchen hugging Penny.
It was too soon for that. But he wasn’t above checking in on them or being there whenever they needed him.
Colvin Jackson was still out there, and Tex hadn’t been able to find him yet.
He was probably using a new alias that Tex had yet to ferret out.
And that made Pyro nervous. Too much had happened to Mandy, Laryn, and Zita for him to let down his guard.
Nothing and no one would touch a hair on Penny’s head if he could help it.
And if Colvin came for Bowie? All bets were off. Pyro wasn’t a violent man, but the thought of anyone hurting the little girl in the other room made him feel homicidal. He’d protect her with his life if necessary.
“I’m ready, Mommy!” Bowie said, as she entered the living area.
Zita and Penny had moved the furniture in a way that it was easy for the little girl to navigate without hurting herself.
Bowie told him that it took a couple days for her to memorize the “lay of the land,” so to speak, but now that she had, it was obvious she was confident enough on where things were to walk around so easily, you wouldn’t know she was blind if you didn’t already.
And that made Pyro think about his own apartment, how he could make it more sight-impaired friendly. Bowie and Penny hadn’t visited him yet. But eventually they’d come over—he hoped—and he wanted Bowie to feel just as comfortable there as she was here.
“You look awesome. You ready to go?” Penny asked, pulling out of his arms. Pyro didn’t want to let her go, but he didn’t want to let things get weird between them either.
He also didn’t want to be friend-zoned…though he was pretty sure the blushes on her face when she looked at him, and the way she was constantly touching him, were signs she was as attracted to him as he was to her.
He was willing to move slowly. After all, her life was undergoing a huge change, and Bowie came first. He was completely all right with that.
Bowie munched on a peanut butter and chocolate crispy protein bar as they walked toward the elementary school. It wasn’t the best option for breakfast, but it was better than nothing. Penny also had an apple ready to give her once she’d finished the protein bar.
The walk to the school only took ten minutes, but Pyro could see Bowie was getting nervous all over again as they got close.
“You’re coming with me to my room, right, Mommy?”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
Bowie looked up at Pyro. “You too, Kylo-Pyro?”
“Nothing could keep me away,” he replied. He loved her nickname for him. It made him smile every time he heard it.
Once inside the school, they headed for the office and got directions to Bowie’s classroom. She was going to be in a mainstream class that had an aide to help not only Bowie, but two other children who needed some extra assistance.
Pyro could feel Bowie’s hand trembling in his as they walked down the hall.
“Ships in the harbor are safe, but that’s not what they’re made for,” Bowie whispered, making Pyro’s heart fill with pride at her bravery…but also sink at the realization that he’d have to leave her when she was so scared.
She’d be fine, of course. But that didn’t make this any easier.
Looking over at Penny, he caught her eye, and could see that she was similarly conflicted.
When they arrived at the door, Penny knelt down in front of Bowie. “You’ve got this, hon. How many times have we been through some scary and tough times, but made it out just fine, and in a lot of cases better than we were before?”
Bowie thought about that for a moment, then said, “Like when we were on that roof and scared of the bad men shooting at everyone, and Kylo-Pyro showeded up? And then we went on the big boat, and got new clothes and stuff and met all his friends?”
“Exactly,” Penny said. “Just go in there and be yourself. Because you’re amazing, Bowie. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your mom.”
Bowie nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay. I’ll be here when school is over to walk you home.”
“You too?” Bowie asked, looking up toward Pyro.
He frowned. Shit. He wanted to be here. But he’d already taken some time off this morning, and his team had a meeting about a dangerous situation brewing in Northern Africa.
“I wish I could, but I have to be at work, Bowie-Bear,” he said, hating every word that came out of his mouth.
She frowned, and Pyro rushed to speak so the tears he could see sparkling in her eyes didn’t spill down her cheeks. It felt amazing that she wanted him to be there so badly, but it physically hurt that he couldn’t.
“How about I come over tonight and bring pizza for dinner? You can tell me all about your first day and the new friends you made and how awesome your teacher is.”
“Hamburger and bacon pizza?” Bowie asked, perking up a little.
“If that’s what you want.”
“Yes!”
“It’s a date then.”
“Yay!”
A woman appeared in the classroom door. She was about Pyro’s height, probably around her late twenties, and her brown hair was pulled into a braid that went down to the middle of her back.
“You must be Bowie Burns! I’m Miss Blake, your teacher.
I’m so happy you’re joining us,” she said in a low, gentle voice.
Bowie leaned against Pyro’s leg shyly and nodded.
Even though she had to know the little girl was blind, Miss Blake didn’t hesitate to speak to her, instead of at her, crouching down so she was at Bowie’s level. Which Pyro wholeheartedly approved of.
“Because this is your first day, I know it has to be a little scary. But in my class, we have buddies. Every day you get a new buddy, so you can get to know everyone. Today, Abigail Bixler will be your buddy. She’s relatively new too, so I think you’ll have a lot in common.
She’ll help you find your desk, take you to recess, sit next to you at lunch, and generally be available in case you have any questions. Will that be okay?”
Bowie straightened and nodded.
“Great! This is going to be fun. I promise,” Miss Blake said. Then turned to the class behind her and said, “Abigail? Come meet Bowie.”
A girl with long dark hair appeared at the teacher’s side.
She was of Asian ancestry, petite like Bowie and cute as a button.
“Hi, I’m Abigail, and I get to be your buddy today.
Everyone wanted to be your first buddy, but Miss Blake picked me!
I’m not blind, but I only have three fingers on my left hand because that’s how I was borned.
In my last school, I was made fun of, but no one’s allowed to make fun of anyone here, so I really like it.
I can’t wait to help you see stuff! Come on, your desk is right next to mine. ”
Abigail took Bowie’s hand and the two girls walked into the classroom, already chatting away.
“Wow, from being scared to leaving us behind without so much as a ‘see ya,’” Penny mused with a wry smile.
“I hope it’s okay, but I’ve prepped the class about Bowie. About her being blind. They had a ton of questions for me, and she’ll probably have to answer even more throughout the day. But I’ll keep an eye on her, make sure she’s not overwhelmed. She’s in good hands, Mrs. Burns.”
“Thanks. I’m only a phone call away if you need me though.”
“Of course.” The teacher smiled, then turned and headed back into her classroom.
Penny and Pyro stood at the door and watched Bowie for a minute or two, before Penny sighed. “She’s going to be fine.”
“Of course she is. She’s strong, like her mom.”
Penny gave Pyro a smile, then they turned and walked back down the hall.
“Thanks for coming over this morning. I know you probably have more important things to do on base.”
“More important than making sure a little girl feels safe at school, where she’ll be spending most of her time for the next twelve years or so? Not even close,” Pyro said honestly.
As they walked toward the apartment complex, Penny said, “That was harder than I thought it would be. But I have no doubt Bowie will thrive in a formal classroom setting. She’s smart as a whip and will probably outpace her peers in no time.
But I don’t want her to skip any grades or anything.
She needs the social interaction with girls and boys her own age.
People who don’t make fun of her or shun her for being different. ”