He looks like he’s about to say something else, but then he walks back into the room.
I follow him, and we get back to it. The meeting goes on long into the afternoon. Hunter tells me when it’s time to collect Alicia, giving me a pointed look when I leave the room.
I set off in the car, feeling I had made a mistake. I shouldn’t have told him. This is why Alicia kept it to herself. She must know he’s got a temper despite their relationship.
I get to the school in time to see her coming out. The other girls are nowhere to be seen. Her shoulders are high, and she waves when she sees me.
“You want an ice cream before we go home?” I ask her. “I saw a place on the way here.”
“Grammy Moon’s?” she asks. “I hardly ever get to go there.”
“Well, we’re going today, and no one will stop us.”
24
Bex
* * *
Alicia digs her spoon into the melting raspberry ice cream, cramming it into her mouth a moment later. We’ve been here a half hour, and I still haven’t worked out how to ask her. There’s hardly any of her sundae left, and we’ll have to go home at some point. “Listen,” I say, realizing I’ve run out of stalling room, “I wanted to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Are you being picked on at school?”
“No, why?” She says it too quickly, her eyes on the floor, not on me.
“Are you sure?”
“Nothing’s happening. I’m fine.” The emotion’s gone from her voice.
“I got picked on at school, and it was horrible. Sometimes girls can be mean to each other, right?”
She gives me a noncommital grunt in response.
“If you are being picked on, you should tell someone.”
“I tried.” She looks up at me at last, her eyes watery. “I told the last one who took me to school, but she just said it can’t be that bad because I’m a big tough girl. If anyone teased me, I should just ignore them, so I tried, but it was not easy. Please, don’t tell Daddy. I don’t want him to worry about me. He’s got enough to worry about since mom died. I don’t want to be a burden to him.”
“A burden? What makes you think you’re a burden?”
“The last nanny told me. She said I make Daddy’s life hard sometimes, and I need to watch my mouth and keep out of his way. Can I have another coke? I’ve drunk all of this one?”
“I don’t want you jumping off the walls. We better head back to the house.”
“Am I in trouble?”
“No, sweetie, not at all. I might speak to your school about this, though, see if I can sort it out.”
“You can’t. No one can.”
“You haven’t met me before. I’m the woman who can do things no one else can. Watch.” I pick up my drink and gulp it down without stopping. “See. Bet you didn’t think I could do that.” A belch escapes me loud enough to make her jump. She giggles as the other patrons look our way. “Come on,” I say, taking her hand. We better leave before we get thrown out.”
25
Bex
* * *