28. Melanie #2
“Was so ready to believe the worst of me,” she cuts in bitterly. “I was a kid, and it still follows us to this day. The graffiti on our door…That didn’t come from those kids.” Rosie sighs heavily, her shoulders lowered like she’s carrying the heaviest of weights. “I don’t know.”
“I don’t want you to move, but do you ever think about it?”
“Yeah,” she says wistfully. “I loved this town growing up, you know? And Mom…” Rosie gives me a sad smile. “She doesn’t want to leave my dad, even though he’s long gone.”
“Well, you’re not carrying this on your own,” I say firmly. “I have your back. Always.”
Her eyes bounce between mine, gauging my sincerity, and then she nods. “I know, Mel.” She pushes the empty plate away. “Now I need to get to work.”
“How has it been over at the garage?”
Rosie worked as the administrator at Owen’s Tune-Up, something she fell into not long after Nell was born.
Owen was a good guy—he’s never married and didn’t have any kids of his own, but he wasn’t one for rumors, so when Rosie turned up for an interview, he hired her on the spot.
She turned up for her first day and discovered that he had created a little play area for Nell so Rosie could bring the baby to work with her.
That job saved Rosie in more ways than one, back in those early dark days.
“There’s a new shop opening up in town, and Owen’s worried about losing business. It’s one of those big franchise types that’s more about making money than anything else.”
“Yeah, but Owen has the trust of the town, right? People aren’t going to just turn on a dime because someone offers a cheaper service.”
Rosie gives me a dull smile. “People have turned for less,” she reminds me, making my chest go tight at the look in her eyes. “Anyway, I’ll see you at pick-up, okay?”
Without another word, she grabs her bag off the back of her chair and disappears out the door. Before the bell has finished chiming, Jamie approaches my table, a frown on her face.
“Morning, Melanie,” she greets. “I didn’t want to come over when Rosie was still here. I heard what happened, and I don’t think she needs anyone else asking if she’s okay, but—”
“Is she okay?” I finish with a small smile. Jamie nods. “She’s not, but I think she will be. Our Rosie is strong.”
“I’ve tried convincing her that not everyone is against her, but the people with the most hate in their hearts are always the loudest.” She crosses her arms over her chest with a frown.
“She knows, Jamie. But after Saturday night…”
Her eyes glitter angrily. “I’ve spent plenty of time with Ryan. I know his mother dying really messed him up, but he’s a good kid. I can’t believe…” She blows out a breath, her shoulders tight. “I don’t know why anything surprises me anymore.” She glances at the empty plate. “You want more cake?”
I laugh, patting my tummy. “I’ve had enough, but you look like you could use some.”
Jamie flashes me a guilty look, her hand sliding over her curvy hip. “I actually did a little more taste-testing this morning than I should have,” she confesses, giggling when I laugh. “Look, you should never trust a skinny baker, okay?”
“I don’t blame you,” I reassure her. “The cake was delicious.”
“Well, I’ll have some lemon bars ready for this afternoon if you want to bring Oakley by.”
“I already promised him ice cream, but he’ll probably be easily convinced. I don’t think anything tops a lemon bar for him.”
I head home, spending the next two hours working on a client’s website, implementing their new branding and troubleshooting why their order page isn’t working. I try to get as much done as I can so when I pick Oakley up from school, I can focus wholly on him.
It’s just gone one in the afternoon when my phone buzzes against my desk, pulling my focus. I frown when the number for the school flashes across the screen, an uneasy feeling swirling through me.
“Hello?”
“Mrs. Daniels. This is Lucinda Blackwater.” The principal greets formally, her tone cautious. “Now, before anything else, I want you to know that you’ve been called immediately.”
The back of my neck prickles, my body flushing between hot and cold. “What happened? What’s wrong with Oakley?”
“Oakley’s teacher immediately noticed that he never came into the classroom from his lunch break. She notified me immediately and—”
“Have you found him?” I croak. How can this be happening again? I stand, rushing for the front door and swinging it open. I step outside, half-hoping my son will just appear, but the street is quiet.
“No,” the principal says, rushing to add, “But a child has come forward, claiming they saw him getting a car. This child believes the driver was his father.”
“A child?” I echo. “How do you—”
“It was Nell McDougal,” Mrs. Blackwater interrupts. “She is familiar with Oakley’s father, isn’t she?”
“Yes.” I shake my head, asking numbly, “His father? But why would he…His father doesn’t have primary custody. We have an agreement that he has Oakley on the weekends, and he doesn’t even do that. How was he able to just take my child off school grounds?”
“Has Mr. Daniels contacted you at all?” she asks. “Is there a family emergency, perhaps?”
“Even if there was, Oakley should have been signed out properly,” I blurt, my panic and frustration mounting. I check my phone anyway, coming back on the line to tell her, “No, he hasn’t contacted me. Are you telling me you don’t know where my son is right now?”
“I’m sorry, Melanie,” her voice softens imperceptibly.
“There’s no record saying that Davis Daniels can’t pick up Oakley from school.
But after what happened a few months ago, I felt it pertinent to inform you straight away.
” Well, at least that’s something. “Do you have reason to believe that Oakley is in danger?”
I replay the last year of my life over in my head.
Davis’s escalating behavior. His anger when I refused to sell the house.
His rumpled appearance, and the way he seems to have lost weight the last few times I’ve seen him.
His panic when Marcy demanded that someone call the police after Cale punched him.
The way he was terrified at the idea of the authorities turning up.
“Yes,” I say shakily into the phone. “I believe my son is very much in danger.”