Hugh, still crying, looked at Franz in sheer confusion. But Franz refused to budge. “Off his spoon.”
Annabeth narrowed her eyes. “Will any more fruit be slipping off your spoon?”
Every head at the table shook simultaneously, making it even harder to maintain her disciplinarian stance. “I hope not.”
She walked around the cafeteria, trying to ignore the way her stomach rebelled. She couldn’t throw up; there was nothing left in her stomach. And she didn’t want to go back to her office. Sitting only made it worse. Being up and walking around made her stomach bearable—most of the time.
“My turn,” Ken Branson said as he approached her.
“It’s fine.” She smiled.
“No, really, I’ll take it from here,” he assured, patting her shoulder.
“Okay.” She headed back to the main office, confused by Ken’s willingness to stay in the cafeteria. He hated cafeteria duty. He hated pretty much anything to do with actual kid interaction at this point. Once she walked into the main office, his attitude made sense. Kevin Michaels sat, his arms crossed, scowling. When he was angry, there was no doubting he was Winnie’s son.
“Is Kevin here to see me, Ms. Barnes?” Annabeth asked the school secretary.
“Yes, ma’am.” Mrs. Barnes nodded, looking apologetic.
“Do you have a teacher’s referral for me?” she asked Kevin.
He thrust the paper at her but wouldn’t look at her.
Annabeth scanned over the notes the teacher had made. “Looks like we need to have a talk in my office.”
Kevin looked at her then, so angry his jaw was tight. “Gonna call my mom?”
Annabeth read over the referral again. Maybe not. “I’d like to hear your side of things first.”
Apparently that wasn’t the answer he was expecting. His eyebrows rose and his jaw relaxed a little. He stood, leading the way to her office. Once he was seated in one of the two chairs facing her desk, she sat in the other.
“Why did you threaten to punch Billy in the face?” she asked.
Kevin frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You and Billy are friends,” she prodded gently.
Kevin glanced at her, then at the picture of Cody on her desk. He frowned. “He said something.”
Annabeth’s stomach chose that moment to make a sci-fi movie sound.
Kevin laughed, too surprised not to. “You okay, Ms. Upton?” He looked at Cody’s picture again. “Mrs. Boone.”
“Haven’t had time for lunch.” She tried to redirect him. “What did Billy say? Exactly?”
Kevin sighed. “He was talking about my mom.”
Annabeth didn’t say a word. Kevin Michaels might be a pain in her rear, but he loved his mother. “Can you tell me what he said?” Her stomach clenched, so she shifted in her chair.
Kevin shook his head.
“How about you write it down.” She shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position.
Kevin didn’t react.
Annabeth stood, rifling through her drawer for a packet of crackers. “I can call Billy in,” she offered.
Kevin shook his head fiercely.