Saylor

Jaw tight, Owen turns to Grady. “What happened?”

“We were playing soccer.”

“And?”

“And I was faster.”

Owen’s mouth ticks up on one side before he prods, “Then what happened?”

“He got mad. He was calling you names.”

“Me?” Owen points to his chest.

“Yeah.”

“What kind of names?” Owen asks, almost amused that his little boy would defend his honor like that.

“That you were a washed-up player. That I was a…a…swear word.”

Owen’s amusement vanishes.

“Which swear word, Grady?” His voice is deathly calm, but I can tell he’s close to snapping.

Grady’s gaze shifts from his dad to mine before returning to Owen’s. “B-bastard. Because you and mom weren’t married.”

Nostrils flaring, Owen rubs his hand over his face, then pins me with his stare. “Why is my son the only one in here?”

I pause, nearly crumbling under his scrutiny before rasping, “Hey, Grady?”

“Yes, Miss Swenson?”

“Can you go wait in the hallway for me? I want to have a grown-up conversation with your dad for a minute.”

Grady looks at his dad, who gives him a stiff nod as his knuckles clutch the armrests like his life depends on it.

“O-okay,” Grady stutters before pushing himself up and exiting the room.

Once the door clicks shut, I take a deep breath and dive right in. “The other student’s name is Turner. His dad was abusive to him and his mom before she recently got out of the relationship. He’s struggling, as I’m sure you can imagine. And I know that’s no excuse for his behavior, but his mom and I agree that kicking him out of this school will only make him feel less stable. I didn’t know the details about what happened until Grady just now told us, but I promise you that Turner will suffer repercussions for his actions. Honestly, he’s dealing with them already.”

Owen cocks his head to the side, my honesty sparking his curiosity. “What do you mean?”

My mouth quirks up in the corner. “Your son has quite the right hook for a first grader.”

Leaning back in his chair, a dry laugh escapes him. “Well, he is my kid.”

“He sure is,” I agree as I take in his boyish grin. I miss that smile. I miss when it was directed at me. How contagious it is. How happy he made me.

Shit.

“So, what kind of repercussions are we talking about here?” Owen asks, sensing the shift in my emotions. “What’s the plan for the other kid? Because shit like that––”

“It’s unacceptable,” I confirm. “Trust me. His mom will be mortified when she finds out what Turner said, and she’s good at following through with consequences. Turner’s also going to sit inside with me during recess for the next few weeks and will apologize to Grady in the morning. I know that doesn’t seem like much, but for Turner…it’s a lot.”

“I trust you,” Owen murmurs. His sharp gaze flicks over to mine, holding it hostage for a few seconds before he clears his throat. “How’s Grady been doing other than the fight? I’m sorry I missed the Meet the Teacher Night or whatever you call it at the beginning of the school year––”

“A lot of people miss Meet the Teacher Night,” I reply while withholding the fact that I was relieved he didn’t attend. “And Grady’s smart. He’s one of my brightest students in my classroom and is already the popular jock on the playground.”

Just like his dad, I almost add before chewing on the inside of my cheek while toying with my pen on the desk. “Honestly, I think that’s why Turner started the fight.”