Chapter 24
twenty-four
. . .
Winnie
I listened as he spoke, and it was obvious that something was wrong.
I gathered my clothes and hurried out of his room and down the hallway to my room.
I grabbed some clean panties and quickly got dressed.
I was stepping back into the main house just as Archer was coming out of his room, fully dressed.
“What’s going on?” I asked. I saw the concerned look on his face.
“They said Melody got into an altercation, and I need to come pick her up.”
“An altercation? What the hell does that mean?” I grabbed my purse. “I’m coming with you.”
He didn’t fight me, and we hustled out to his truck and drove the short distance to the school.
“I’m sorry for—you know, cutting things off so abruptly,” he said as he stared ahead at the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were white.
“Don’t apologize. Melody is your daughter. I would be appalled if you weren’t rushing to the school. And you made me the second contact number at the school, so I would have gotten the call next, and we’d be exactly where we are now.”
He nodded as he pulled into the parking lot in front of the school, then put the truck in park. We walked briskly toward the entrance and into the front office before we were ushered into the principal’s office.
“Hey, Archer.” The man extended his arm, and they shook hands.
“Theo, good to see you. Winnie, this is Principal Carver. We grew up together,” Archer said, but his voice was strained. “What’s going on. Where is my daughter?”
“Everything’s okay. Just wanted to bring you in here first to tell you what happened. She’s lying down in the nurse’s office.” He motioned for us to take the seats across from him. “Melody got into an argument with Justine Schwartz, and it got physical.”
“Who got physical? Melody?”
“Justine did, and then Melody acted in self-defense after some words were exchanged about the Valentine treats.” Principal Carver leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I made cupcakes for the Valentine’s Day party. Was that not allowed? I had approved it with Mrs. Groucher ahead of time.”
“No, no, there wasn’t an issue with the cupcakes.
Apparently, Justine made a comment that the cupcakes weren’t made by a real mommy because Melody doesn’t have a real mommy.
And she told the other kids they shouldn’t eat the cupcakes.
” He shook his head with disbelief. “I’m telling you, kids can be cruel, even at a young age. ”
“So Justine said the cupcakes weren’t made by a real mommy and they shouldn’t eat them? And then what happened?” Archer asked, his hands clasped together, the veins in his neck strained.
“It happened out on the playground, and several kids shared that Justine was taunting Melody about it. Following her around and making fun of her. From what I’ve gathered, Melody said that the cupcakes were made with love and that she loves Winnie, and it just escalated.
Justine said something that really upset her. ” He cleared his throat.
“What did she say?”
“According to Melody and a few of the other kids, Justine said that Melody’s mom didn’t want her, and that’s why she left, and that that makes Melody unlovable.
” He blew out a breath. “Justine then grabbed Melody and pinned her to the wall and said it again, and Melody shoved her back. Justine has been sent home for the day.”
I gasped at his words, fighting back the urge to cry on behalf of the sweetest girl I’d ever met being mistreated like that.
“And my daughter is being sent home for defending herself when she was treated cruelly and then pinned to a wall?” Archer hissed, pushing to his feet and running a hand through his hair. “This is fucking insane.”
“Archer, relax,” Principal Carver said as he got to his feet.
“I called you to pick up Melody because she’s upset.
Obviously, she’s not being suspended. I just assumed you would want to take her home because she’s been crying pretty hard, but we got her calmed down.
I just don’t think she’s up for being back in class. ”
Arhcer nodded. “Sorry. I just, I can’t stand the idea of someone saying something so cruel to her. Words are terrible weapons, and I don’t want her to ever feel like she’s unlovable. That little girl could not be more loved.”
“I can promise you that your daughter feels loved. She’s got a huge family who adore her, and it shows. But yes, words hurt, and Justine was cruel. She’s got her own issues going on, and it appears she’s lashing out.”
“All right. Can you take us to see Melody, please?” Archer said, and I moved to stand, anxious to check on her as well.
“Of course. Follow me.”
Once we left his office, we made our way to Nurse Lindstrom’s office. Melody was sitting up drinking an apple juice, and her gaze met mine. Her eyes were puffy, and when she turned to look at her father, her bottom lip started trembling.
Nurse Lindstrom took the juice from her as Archer reached for his daughter.
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” she croaked. “She wouldn’t let me go, and I pushed her because she was hurting me.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, angel face.” He wrapped her in a hug, and I swear my chest squeezed so tight it was painful.
“If someone is hurting you, you need to take care of yourself. You aren’t in trouble.
I’m very proud of you. And you’re Daddy’s forever Valentine, remember? So how about we take you home early.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she whimpered, and then she looked up at me and reached for me. “Can I give my Winnie a hug, too?”
“Always,” he said, and I scooped her right up and hugged her extra tight.
“You’re okay, sweet pea,” I whispered into her hair.
She placed a hand on my cheek as her bottom lip trembled. “I don’t care what my friend Justine says, you feel like a real mommy.”
I wasn’t sure what caught me off guard more.
The fact that she was referring to me as a mommy, or the fact that she’d just called Justine her friend after the girl had treated her so poorly.
Archer glanced over at me as he pulled the door open, and I slipped her into her car seat and buckled her up.
I closed the door, and he paused as he glanced over at his daughter through the window. “Who the fuck says that? What is wrong with that girl, and why would Melody call her a friend after what she said?” He kept his voice low as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Because you raised her to be a forgiving, loving, amazing little girl,” I said, placing my hand in his to try to comfort him. “She doesn’t have an unkind bone in her body, so she doesn’t even know how to respond to someone treating her this way.”
He lifted my hand and kissed it.
“Thank you for saying that. Thank you for being here. Thank you for loving my little girl,” he said, leaning down close to my ear. “And I didn’t get a chance to thank you earlier, but thank you for the world’s best blow job.”
I chuckled. “It was a long time coming. Pun intended.” I winked at him.
I hopped in the car and buckled up as the three of us drove home.
My heart was heavy for Melody, and I wanted to do whatever we could to turn this day around for her.
But for the first time in a very long time, I felt a sense of contentment wash over me.
As if I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
As if I’d found everything I needed, when I didn’t even know I was looking for it.