Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Amber
O n Friday morning, Casey walks in, her backpack slung over one shoulder and her head down. I smile at her, but she only offers a small wave before sliding into her seat. Something about her posture tugs at me—lately, she’s been more engaged, and more present these days.
By midmorning, it’s clear something is off. She’s quiet, distracted, and when I call on her to answer a question, she stares at me blankly for a moment before mumbling, “I don’t know.”
I crouch beside her desk during independent work time, keeping my voice soft. “Hey, Casey. You okay today?”
She shrugs, not meeting my eyes. “Just tired.”
I want to press, but I don’t want to overwhelm her. “Okay. Let me know if you need anything, all right?”
She nods, but her focus drifts back to the window.
She’s not the only child having issues, they all seem to be a little off and struggling. So I do my best to take that into account and have extra patience with all the kids.
By recess, I’m on duty, watching the kids as they run, climb, and laugh. Casey usually hangs out with a small group of girls by the swings, but today, she’s sitting alone on the edge of the slide, her feet dragging in the dirt.
I’m about to walk over to check on her when one of the older boys is coming in hot, trying to catch a spiraling football. He smashes into Casey, and she’s on the ground quickly. I see her trying to push herself up, but her face crumples, and she bolts toward me.
“Miss Shafer!” she cries, tears streaming down her cheeks as she wraps her arms around my waist.
It’s not abnormal for the kids to come to me for comfort, but it throws me off because Casey never has before. I freeze for a moment, startled by the force of her hug, but then I’m holding her, my hand stroking her hair as she sobs into my stomach. My heart aches, and I fight the lump rising in my throat.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” I murmur, crouching down so I’m at her level. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
She clings to me, her small frame shaking. “I-I miss my mom.” She hiccups, her voice muffled against my shirt.
Oh, Casey.
I pull her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I know, honey. I know. It’s okay to miss her. You’re allowed to feel that way.”
Eric’s class comes out onto the playground, and he spots us almost immediately. He jogs over, his brow furrowed. “Casey? What’s wrong?”
She peeks up at him, her face streaked with tears. “I fell,” she whispers.
Eric crouches beside us, his voice calm and soothing. “You’re tough, Case. Remember when you fell off your bike and scraped your knee? You got right back up and kept going.”
She sniffles, nodding slowly.
“And you’ve got Miss Shafer here,” he adds, flashing me a grin. “She’s like the nicest teacher ever. You’re in good hands.”
I smile at him, my heart swelling at the way he talks to her. He’s so good with her, so gentle and understanding.
Casey wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. “I just needed a hug,” she mumbles.
“Anytime you need one, you can come find me,” I say, squeezing her shoulders. “Okay?”
She nods, and Eric stands, offering her a hand. “Come on. Let’s go see if the swings are free.”
She hesitates, looking up at me. “Is that okay?”
“Of course,” I say, brushing her hair back from her face.
As I watch them walk away, Eric chatting animatedly to distract her, my chest tightens. I can’t help but think about how much they’ve both been through, how strong they are. And then, unbidden, a wave of guilt washes over me.
Am I taking Derek away from them?
The irrational thought is there and gone just as quickly.
The rest of the day goes smoothly. Casey seems more like herself, raising her hand during math and laughing with her friends at lunch. But I can’t stop replaying that moment on the playground, her tear-streaked face pressed against me.
By the time school ends, I’m exhausted, but I have a meeting with Derek to discuss Casey’s progress. Teddy and Sofia had asked me to take my nieces home today, so they’re in the room playing when Derek and Casey walks in.
“Can we go to the gym, Auntie Amber?” Hazel asks.
“Of course, but you put up what you get out and don’t go anywhere else, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am,” all three girls say in unison.
“Hey,” Derek says softly when we’re alone.
“Hey.”
“Looks like they’re having fun,” he says, nodding after the girls.
“They’ve been cooped up all day. This is their version of letting off steam,” I reply with a laugh.
We sit on the bleachers, and I pull out my notes. “So about Casey…”
He tenses slightly. “What’s going on?”
“She had a rough morning,” I say, glancing at him. “She was quiet, distracted. Then she fell on the playground and got really upset.”
His jaw tightens. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine,” I reassure him. “But she said she’s been missing her mom. She needed a hug, and I think she just needed to let it out.”
He looks down, his hands clasped tightly. “I hate that she’s still carrying so much of that.”
“She’s doing better,” I say quickly. “She really is. Today was just an off day. And honestly? She bounced back. By the afternoon, she was laughing and participating again.”
He exhales, his shoulders relaxing. “That’s good to hear.”
“I’m proud of her,” I say, smiling. “She’s come so far. She got a hundred percent on her spelling test this week again and nailed her science test, too.”
“That’s good to hear. She hasn’t been getting a lot of sleep lately. She’s up and down a lot in the middle of the night.”
“Has she said why?”
“No, just wants to come in my room or for Eric to sleep in the room with her.”
“Do you…do you think that it’s because we’re spending too much time together?”
“I know you’re worried about us. About me taking time away from Casey and Eric. But I promise you, that’s not the case. They’re my world. And you’re not taking anything away—you’re adding to it.”
His words hit me like a gentle wave, washing away some of the guilt I’ve been carrying. I breathe out slowly as I nod.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“I know it’s easy to tell yourself otherwise, but it’s not true. I’d really like to tell the kids about us soon, too. I think I’ll tell them tonight and then have you over for Sunday dinner.”
“What?” I gasp.
I’m a little shocked. I wasn’t expecting this at all.
“I’d like you to come to Sunday dinner so you can meet everyone. I really want this to work between us, Amber, but without involving the kids, we will never know for sure.”
I chew the inside of my lip nervously. “Okay. I…I would like that. Do I need to be there when you tell them?”
“No. I think it’s best if I do that alone. I want them to be able to feel free to say how they feel without being worried they’re going to hurt your feelings.”
“That’s smart.” I smile back at him. “Wow.”
“Are you okay with all of this? I don’t want to move faster than you’re ready to.”
“No. I’m perfect with this,” I say quickly.
I don’t even hesitate because I know with all of my heart that this is right.