All I made time for these mornings was my therapy of chopping wood or the self-defense classes I’d plowed myself into. The classes gave me a peace of mind that if in the event we were ever under attack, I’d be ready. I was determined to prepare for the worst. My efforts resulted in well-muscled arms and a sculpted chest that narrowed to a V at my waist.
I scrubbed a hand over my beard and sighed deeply.
I climbed in the shower to wash the sweat and the haunted memories from my body and mind.
The soap and water cascaded down my broad chest and thick thighs, and I scrubbed myself as if I could physically remove the memories that haunted me.
Welcome to my world.
***
“Thank you for meeting me, Mr. Thompson,” the principal said, with the most disingenuous smile I’d seen in a while. “I’ve enjoyed our chats.”
“Good afternoon, Miss Holmberg. What seems to be the problem?”
“Maybe if you observe Rebecca for a few minutes, it’ll shed some light on why I’m worried.”
The principal started walking and I had no choice but to follow her. I didn’t enjoy it whenever she called me into her office. Her eyes always lingered a little too long whenever I was around.
Her long, thin legs spilled into a slim pair of hips and a tightened waist she obviously kept up in the gym. Her heels gave even more height to her, which always put her lips right at my chin. And she made sure to remind me of it. Stood a little too close, until I could feel her breath on my neck. Brushed her arm against me and stretched her pinky finger out to caress mine. Her outfits were always crisply pressed and there was never a hair on top of her head that was ever out of place.
She was pretty, but certainly not my type. Too prim and proper for my blood.
I stood from the chair in her office, and she led me outside to a playground. All the kids were running around and playing. Some were on the swings, some were playing in the dirt, and some were trying to figure out how to play hopscotch and failing miserably like you’d expect a four-year-old to do.
“Rebecca’s over in the corner by herself,” she said.
I rolled my eyes before I focused my stare on my daughter. She was hunched over in the corner with a stick, poking at something on the ground. I grinned as I watched her. I knew what she was doing. Audrey had been fascinated with bugs ever since we made our move to the mountain. I’d never seen a four-year-old girl so entranced with the world around her.
I folded my arms across my chest and watched my beautiful daughter play. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the only hairstyle I’d been able to master. Her emerald eyes were fixed on the ground as a smile crawled across her cheeks.
“See what I mean?” the principal asked.
“No, I don’t. You’ve got children eating dirt, but you’re upset because my daughter’s in a corner exploring the world around her?”
“What I’m concerned about is that her isolated home life is affecting how she blossoms in school. I really think Rebecca should be in a place where she can flourish, especially because she’s without a strong female influence in her life.”
I watched the woman rake her eyes down my form, and I bit back a growl.
Was this lady serious?
If she thought for one second I was going to ask her out on a date, she was sorely mistaken.
She reminded me of my ex-wife to a tee.
“It’s obvious the only social interaction Rebecca gets is when she comes to school, and that’s detrimental to her development. I understand that some people like their privacy, but you must take your daughter’s well-being into account. Maybe living in a place so secluded isn’t the best for her. After all, there are plenty of people in town that would take her and you under their wing.”
My eyes flickered over to her and I found her staring a little too hard.
“Trust me, you have no idea the lengths I go to when taking my daughter’s well-being into account.”
“I can only imagine how you’d feel about someone else in your life, if you came down into town a little more often,” Mrs. Holmberg said.
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could tolerate the bullshit.
“All I’m saying is Rebecca might open up more if she had more consistent interaction with children her age. I think her isolated atmosphere isn’t doing Rebecca justice. I’m only concerned. It’s my job as the principal of this school.”
Deep breaths. Deep, deep breaths.