Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 91149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Did she hit you?” I ask incredulously, because she didn’t tell me the details.
She doesn’t reply, turning to the coffee pot. I reach for one of the light switches beside the stove and turn on the recessed lighting. Taking Mazzy by the shoulders, I turn her to me so I can let my eyes roam over her. I don’t see anything else but that doesn’t mean there’s not something under her clothes. “I want to know exactly what she did and don’t think to try to keep it from me or undersell it. I’ll go to the damn police officer and ask if I have to.”
With a heavy sigh, Mazzy says, “She started up the stairs for Bowie Jane. I grabbed her to stop her and she punched me. She then pushed me hard and I fell on my ass. That was it. I immediately told her I was calling the police and I did, and that stopped her from going up the stairs. It worked out fine and Bowie Jane didn’t see any of that, so you don’t have to worry—”
“I’m not worried about Bowie Jane at the moment,” I growl, dropping my hands from her shoulders to throw them out wide. “Did they arrest her? That’s assault.”
Guilt floods Mazzy’s eyes. “I told them I wouldn’t press charges, so no, they didn’t arrest her. They just made her leave.”
“Jesus Christ, Mazzy. She attacked you. She should have been arrested.”
“It was the heat of the moment—”
“Bullshit,” I hiss at her, not wanting to raise my voice for Bowie Jane to hear if she comes down the stairs. “She committed a crime, and she should face consequences. You can still press charges—”
“Absolutely not,” she snaps, eyes going hot with anger. “It’s my decision and it’s done. Now, whatever you decide to do with Sandra, that’s your business, but it’s mine what I do with her. I don’t want to make this any harder on Bowie Jane and her mom getting arrested would have been awful for her, no matter if she deserved it or not.”
That sort of shuts me up because those are noble reasons, but I don’t like that Mazzy has to bear the hurt while Sandra walks away without any repercussions.
Except… that’s hopefully not true because I’m going to use this incident to tighten up the custody reins. I’ve already left a message with my attorney and I plan to go see him this morning.
“Daddy,” I hear from the hall and then Bowie Jane runs like an Olympic sprinter toward me.
I move to the side of the island just as she reaches me and leaps into my arms. She clings like a koala bear as I hug her tightly. I’m afraid to let go because I don’t know what I’m going to see.
But I do have to let her down because she has to get to school and I need to make sure she’s okay to do so. I didn’t have a chance to talk to her again last night as she was already asleep by the time the game was over. I didn’t call Mazzy either as I had hoped she too would be sleeping.
I lean back slightly to look at my kid. “How’d you sleep last night?”
“Good,” she says and then looks over her shoulder at Mazzy. “Can I have some yogurt and fruit for breakfast?”
Mazzy smiles, pulling a cup of coffee for herself from the machine. “Sure, kiddo. Want anything, Foster?”
I’m still a little irritated that she didn’t have Sandra arrested but I have to respect her decision. I shake my head. “I’m good. I’ll take Bowie Jane to school.”
“Sounds good,” she says as she pours cream into her cup. “I’ll head up and shower.”
“But I’d like to talk after I get back,” I say, and she glances at me. Her expression is unreadable, but she nods.
She knows it just as well as I do.
We have a lot to talk about.
CHAPTER 29
Foster
It’s a different feeling when I pull into the garage this time. My anger has dissipated a bit since I entered my house five hours ago.
In that time, I sat with Bowie Jane while she ate breakfast and waited for her to bring up her mother. She didn’t at first, instead wanting to talk about her choir performance this week but eventually she asked, “Are you mad at Mom?”
I answered truthfully. “Yes. Are you?”
She was truthful as well. “Yes. I don’t understand it.”
“I don’t either, honey. But we’ll figure it out. The one thing you need to know is that you are safe and you are loved.”
Bowie Jane showed all the resiliency I expected from her. She’s a kid who rolls with the punches, although I don’t for a minute think she’s not affected by this. Today I’ll reach out to team services and look into a therapist who can help us navigate what will likely be rough waters.